Pretty Much Dead Already
by reedusandweep
Summary: CH. 53 UP While trying to hold onto her humanity after her brother goes missing, Heather runs into Rick Grimes. He shows how far a helping hand can take you and introduces her to someone who teaches her how to survive. Very eventual Daryl/OC.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: Hello all! I've been thinking on how to write this story out for quite some time and now that I finally got parts of it worked out in my head, I decided to try it on this site.**

**This is going to eventually evolve into a Daryl/OC story but for now it's just going to be a friendship between Rick/OC.**

**Please feel free to read and review! I need all the pointers I can get.**

**Obviously I don't own anyone or anything in this, just the OC. Enjoy!**

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Most days she wakes up feeling sick. The bile rises to her throat before she even has time to open her eyes. This never happened before the end. It was something she had become accustomed to and in ways, grateful for the fact that it reminded her of another day alive.

She had been alone, wandering the empty town for supplies and weapons that would keep her alive even longer. Her brother had disppeared a few weeks ago after their camp had been ambushed. She ran one way, he the other. The end of him was eminent until she went back to camp and only found her stuff there. She made it her goal to find him.

She was alone until she met him.

He had seen her digging through cars on the interstate, dressed in a pair of shorts and a tshirt that was bloody and torn, hinting that she might not be what he thought she was. He couldn't just turn around though, not until he made sure if she was human or not. He figured it wouldn't hurt, seeing as he didn't notice her carrying any weapons other than a small hunting knife that was strapped to her thigh.

He got out of his car slowly, not wanting to risk scaring her by his sudden movements, though he realized she hadn't even heard his car get as close as it was. He knew scaring her could very well mean his own death and he wasn't prepared for that moment. Not after all he had gone through to get this far. She noticed him instantly, turning around when his boots hit the pavement and moved her hand to her knife, all the assurance he needed to know she was alive and well, for the most part.

"I couldn't help but notice you up here." he stated, raising his hands to show that he meant now harm, "Do you need help with anything?"

She didn't answer but in stead took a step back as the man took a step forward. He was dressed in a sherriff's uniform but that didn't seem to set her at ease, something that he was admittidly happy about. At least she was still cautious of people, still weary of anyone who came close to her. She knew how to survive and from the looks of it, she had been doing it alone for quite some time.

"My name is Rick," the man offered, pulling the hat he was wearing off his head to reveal perfectly trimmed chestnut hair, "Rick Grimes. I'm not going to hurt you."

"How do I know that?" she answered back, letting her hand falter slightly before she dropped it to her side. Her voice was soft, hardly any trace of the deep southern accent he was so used to, and he had to strain to hear her words through the brief wind that graced their prescense.

"I have no reason to." he said, "I have weapons, food and a means of transportation. What good would come from hurting you?"

She seemed to think about his statement before she hopped off the car she was standing on top of. She was much shorter than he was, probably not standing much higher than 5'4" with copper hair that was pulled back into a ponytail.

"Where did you come from?" she asked him as she inched closer, "I haven't seen anyone else in...a long time."

"Down the road a ways," he replied, putting his hat back on his head as she stood next to him, "I'm looking for my family."

The answer seemed to perplex her, how honest he was and how the determination was evident in his voice. She hadn't met a good human being since her brother disappeared and with him, she thought he was the last. She had a gut feeling about Rick Grimes though. He took her silence as a submission and carefully chose his next words.

"I was going to head into Atlanta, see what I could find there. My wife has family there." he explained, watching the girl as she nodded and bit on the inside of her lip, "Are you with anyone else?"

He knew that she wasn't and in a way, he felt like he was messing with her by asking the question. But he had to know if there was someone else hidden in the cars that could, at any moment, stop him from his destination.

"No," she said, shaking her head slowly, "I'm alone."

He nodded this time, "You're welcome to ride with me, if you want. God knows I could use the company."

She hesitated, letting her weight drop to her left leg and she balanced and looked around at their surroundings. She was nervous still, she wasn't expecting to meet anyone, let alone a good hearted man who was in search of family.

"How long have you been alone?" she asked him before taking a step in his direction.

"Couple days now."

She nodded again, "I'd have to go and grab my pack. It has all my stuff in it."

He felt himself smiling as he nodded again, thankful that he was able to find someone who looked just as lost as he was. He watched as she weaved between a few cars and disappeared, only to reappear minutes later with a large pack on her back and a seperate back pack in her hands. He met her halfway and took the backpack from her hands, seeing how she limped slightly, something he hadn't noticed before.

"Were you bit?" he asked her as she walked slowly to the opposite side of the patrol car.

She looked up at him, shaking her head.

"I got...injured around the time everything started happening. Left me with a nasty scar and a limp." she explained, turning her shoulder a bit so he could see a flash of red skin that started midway up her neck. There was no telling how long the scar went on.

Rick nodded and opened his car door, waiting for her to get in opposite of him before he got in himself.

"Do you eat meat?" the young woman asked him as he started the car back up and carefully began driving.

He turned towards her, confused by the question, then nodded. She offered a small smile then pulled the backpack onto her lap. He watched in amazement, as he kept his eyes on the road, as she dug through her bag and pulled out a tube of beef jerky. She handed it to him, first opening the container so he wouldn't have to take his hands off the wheel. He took it graciously and nodded at her again.

"I've been rummaging through abandoned super markets and houses for a few weeks and tried collecting whatever food I could find." she said quietly, "I don't eat meat but I kind of hoped I would run into someone who did. Figured it would be a nice way to break the ice."

Rick found himself smiling again as he chewed on the meat.

"Thank you. That's very kind of you to offer up what little food you might have." he said to her, seeing her nod from the corner of his eye.

"My name is Heather." she told him, holding her hand out in his direction.

He set the tube of jerky between his legs and used his free hand to shake hers. He noticed how quickly she removed her hand from his and turned her attention back to the road, her hands always fidgeting in her lap. He couldn't believe that someone as young and frail looking as her could survive on her own for as long as she did. It wasn't just luck, he told himself, she had to have some sort of skill that would help her get this far.

"Have you been travelling on foot?" he asked her after nearly an hour of silence.

She turned towards him and nodded, "Mostly. I would come across a working car every now and then but it wasn't really worth it when you ran into car graveyards. Even worse when you run into a herd or other people would see the car. It's safer to go on foot. For me, at least."

"Herds?" Rick questioned, finding himself get more and more uneasy as he found out more about the life he now had to live.

She nodded again, pulling a bottle of water out of the backpack. She opened it then handed it to Rick before pulling one out for herself. He thanked her and took a swig, then set it down.

"The walkers sometimes end up in large groups. I can't figure out why they would move together like that, it seems odd to me. The only thing I can think of is maybe they're just following each other. Or a sound they heard at some point. All I know is, don't find yourself stuck in the middle of a herd, whether they're dead or alive." she explained to him, her voice taking on a serious tone as she looked at him.

"You've seen other live people?"

"At first, we would run into groups and we would stay with them for awhile...but you can't trust anyone these days." she sighed, turning back towards the window.

He wanted to question her more, figure out what kind of groups she had run into. He thought maybe she had run into his wife and son but then discarded that thought and shook his head.

"You didn't seem too cautious of me..." Rick stated, tightening his hands on the steering wheel.

He was surprised to hear her laugh lightly.

"You looked about as scared as I felt back there." she admitted, "I don't believe that you're a bad person or would do anything to harm anyone else. I don't trust you now, Rick, but I know that if I can trust anyone, it would be you."

He took pride in the fact and smiled at her.


	2. Chapter 2

**Thanks for the reviews! Now, I realize this story starts out pretty slow but I assure you, things are going to start happening soon. I just wanted you to get a feel for how the friendship between Heather and Rick evolves. Please continuing reading and if you have any input or suggestions, I'm all ears!**

**Thank you!**

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The patrol car ran out of gas a few miles down the road, leaving Heather and Rick to their feet. She told him that it would be better this way, they would be able to get into Atlanta without making any noise or drawing any attention to either of them. Rick took the big pack from Heather and slung it onto his back, allowing her to carry her own backpack and his backpack, which ended up being way lighter than the single pack of her's.

"What do you have in this thing?" he asked her as they began their walk together.

She pulled on a pair of sunglasses and held onto her water bottle, laughing again.

"Clothes, weapons, toiletries and some books." she told him, handing the water bottle to him.

He took a drink then handed it back to her.

"What kind of weapons do you have?"

She named off a few hand guns that didn't have any ammo, a collection of small knives, similar to the one she had strapped to her thigh, flares, a couple of hammers and some nails. He was impressed at her ability to survive using just hunting knives.

"I might have ammo for those guns you're carrying. What kind are they?"

She squinted into the sun, trying to remember the names her brother had told her weeks earlier. She could only remember two of them but she had no doubt that Rick would be able to figure out the other two.

"I have a glock and a colt. I'm not sure what the other two are but the glock takes 9mm and the colt takes .45." she told him, keeping her pace steadily.

His pace was quicker than hers but she made almost no noise as she took steps next to him. He realized she had trained herself how to be quiet from the way her feet were hitting the ground. It was unsettling to think about what she might have been through before she met him. He made him nervous.

"I have some for the glock. When we find somewhere to rest, I'll get that loaded up for you." he assured her before he looked up at the sky.

It looked like it was about to get dark soon and when he looked at his watch, his suspisions were confirmed.

"We should find somewhere to camp for the night. No use trying to get to Atlanta in the dark."

She nodded and stopped in her tracks, her hand immediately going to the knife on her thigh. Rick stopped as well, watching as she held her finger up to him, silencing whatever he might have had to say. He watched as she pulled the knife out and slowly let the backpack slip to the ground.

"Stay here." she said through her teeth as quietly as she could with him still able to hear.

He reached out for her arm to keep her from moving, his fatherly instincts kicking in when he thought she might be in danger, then stopped, realizing she had been taking care of herself for so long, she wouldn't make any mistakes just because he was there. She quickly walked forward, her knife poised when Rick finally saw the walker that was heading their way. It only took a moment for her to run forward, kick the walker down, then force the knife into the top of the skull. She yanked the knife out and wiped the blood off onto her shorts, then turned back around and walked over to Rick.

"Can't take the risk of even one of them following us." she told him when she noticed he was trying not to gawk at her.

He retracted what he had thought of her before and found himself thinking that she was very skilled in not only being stealthy but also doing damage. He wondered if she felt as safe with him as he felt with her.

"We should get moving. It's almost dark." she said, slinging her back pack back on and motioning for him to follow.

They stepped off the highway and headed into the woods, Heather knowing that there had to be a farm house somewhere near them. After walking for about 20 minutes, she smiled when she saw the outline of one in the distance. They would check the house to make sure it was safe, then hole up there for the night. In the morning they would try to make head way into the city. Rick agreed with the plan and followed her through the brush.

She was quiet again, her footsteps barely heard as she danced through the tall grass, her eyes scanning every inch of ground they covered. Rick felt guilty for how loud he was unintentionally being. His footsteps were awkward and heavy and though he tried tip toeing, even the bags he was carrying seemed to create some sort of noise. He noticed she didn't say anything about it, which gave him relief as they reached the farm house.

"I'll check the top floor if you check the bottom." she offered, turning around to face him.

He was unsure, not liking the idea of splitting up at this point.

"We should check the house together." he nodded, keeping his voice firm with authority, "we don't know what's in there."

She hesitated, scratching the bottom of her jaw as she looked away from him. He could tell she didn't like taking orders and thought she was going to say something in response before she nodded and attempted to smile.

"You're right. We'll look together."

Rick nodded his head once and pulled out his gun. He watching as she dropped her bags and held her hunting knife tightly in her hands, taking in a deep breath before she placed her hand on the doorknob and twisted it. He followed behind her again, keeping his eyes peeled for any sort of movement in front of her. He saw nothing throughout the entire house which put him at ease.

"Looks like we're good for now." Heather stated quietly as they made their way back down the stairs and into the main living area, "Are you hungry?"

"Starving." Rick answered, pulling the hat off his head as he looked around the empty house.

It looked like someone had left in a hurry. There were a few boarded up windows and half opened cans of tuna lying around the floor. Boxes were stacked against the wall, as if the previous owners had been in the middle of moving when things went down. Rick sighed and sat down on the dusty brown couch that was positioned furthest away from any windows.

"Ravioli or Spaghetti-O's?" the young girl asked him, pulling out a can of each from the bag she had retrieved while he examined the house.

He couldn't help the smile that appeared, shaking his head softly.

"Ravioli." he said, taking the can she handed him, "Thank you."

She nodded and gave him a spoon from her pack, "For some reason spoons are the only ones I have doubles of. I didn't think I would be running into anyone else, let alone feeding them."

Rick was silent as he ate, his mind muddled by thoughts of uncertainty. He had been travelling for a few days, sleeping in the patrol car whenever he could but he didn't realize how alone he felt until he ran into someone else.

"What's your family like?" Heather asked him after a few minutes, setting the vacant can she was holding onto the floor next to where she was sitting.

Rick looked over at her and smiled, pictures of his wife and son taking over whatever negative thoughts he might have had. His family. The only that kept him going anymore.

"They're...wonderful." he started, reaching into his pocket to pull out the only photo he had of them.

She took it from him and looked at it, seeing the man before her smiling in a way she's never seen anyone else smile before. He was genuinely happy and from the looks of it, his wife and kid were too. She felt a lump form in her throat as a sad smile crossed her face just briefly before she handed the photo back to him.

"My wife, Lori, is..." he trailed off, not knowing where to even start. His family was his pride and joy and not knowing if they were alive was definitely taking it's toll on the sheriff's thoughts.

"Your family's fine." Heather told him, noticing the pained look on his face, "If they're anything like you are, I'm sure they're just fine."

"Thank you." Rick was looking at her now, folding the photo away in his pocket, "What about you?"

She was confused as she met his eyes, not quite sure what he meant by the question. Even before all of this had happened, she wasn't the type of person to talk about feelings or even carry a conversation with someone if the topic was merely personal. It made her feel awkward and even worse when she knew someone felt sorry for her. She wasn't one for pity.

"Let's talk about this another time." she tried to smile at him, "You look tired. I'll take watch while you get some sleep."

He started to object, not wanting her to keep watch all by herself, but caught his tongue when he realized how tired he really was. Perhaps a few hours of sleep wouldn't be so bad for either of them.

"Just wake me up if anything happens." he ordered her, his voice losing the edge he tried to maintain whenever he instructed someone.

"You'll be the first person to know, sheriff." she smiled easily this time, grabbing her knife as she rose to her feet, "I saw blankets and sheets upstairs. If you happen to get cold."

Rick nodded and thanked her again, slipping his boots off. She had already gone outside by the time he stretched out on the couch and closed his eyes, letting the night take hold of his body.


	3. Chapter 3

Rick opened his eyes the next morning, surprised to see that he had slept through the night without waking up once. The sun was shining through the cracks in the boarded up windows and as he sat up on the couch, he could feel the heat already beginning to fill the house. After pulling his boots on and using his new strength to stretch his limbs, he went in search of Heather, not sure where she had been the entire night.

He walked around the house quietly, checking the bedrooms for her while grabbing little things that he thought they would need to get to Atlanta. He ended up finding a few plain white tshirts for himself, a box of band aids along with a bottle of rubbing alcohol, hydrogen peroxide and some gauze. He grabbed a pocket knife from the largest bedroom and a handful of lighters, never knowing when he would need one. Once he finished wandering the house, he headed to the front door, sure she would be outside where she went the previous night.

He opened the door, taking with him his gun, and made his way outside. It only took him a second to scan his eyes across the yard before he spotted Heather about 20 yards from where he was. She was sprinting back and forth across a stretch of the field, carrying a baseball bat in her hands that she would swing every few feet. He watched her for a few minutes, realizing she was, in so many words, training, before she slowed and saw him.

She stopped running and briskly walked over to where he was, squinting in the sunlight as she smiled up at him. Her hair was pulled into a knotted bun just at the base of her neck and her skin was flushed a light pink either from being in the sun or from the running, Rick wasn't sure which.

"Mornin', sheriff." she greeted him, setting the bat down on the ground as she took a seat on the steps of the porch where he was standing.

"Mornin'." he responded, taking a seat next to her, "You could've woken me up for watch."

Heather twisted her head and looked at him, letting him see the bags under her eyes that proved he was right when he thought she hadn't gotten any sleep the night before. He felt guilty about indulging in his sleep while she neglected any just to keep watch for the both of them.

"I tried," she told him, the smile not faltering, "you sleep like a rock. It's ok though, it was a calm night."

"What were you doing over there?" Rick asked her, waving his hand in the direction of the field she had been in.

"Staying in shape." she answered simply, holding her hand above her brow line to block the sun, "It passes the time and ever since I developed this limp, it helps straighten out my jog."

Rick nodded, smiling lightly to himself. He admitted that was a good idea, something that he should look to doing in the future.

"What are the plans for today?"

He found himself unsure, not even thinking about what steps they would take to get to Atlanta. He wasn't even sure how far away they were to begin with and that put a slight damper on his mood.

"We'll get your guns loaded up with some ammo then start walking, I suppose." he answered, his voice not hiding the tone he automatically took on when he started giving orders. He never meant for his words to come out hard but when he turned back to her, he noticed that she was just nodding, not seeming to mind when he spoke to her like that.

"I've never really had official training on how to use a gun," Heather told him, nodding her head as she thought about Rick's plans, "I mean, I know how to aim and shoot but I've only had to use my guns a few times since I've been on my own."

"That's not something we'll worry about right now. I'll teach you how to use one properly on the way there." she could hear the promise in his voice and she nodded again, "After you learn handguns, we'll discuss giving you one of the rifles I have. They're obviously more effective."

"Sounds like a plan then. We should eat breakfast and get going."

Rick agreed and rose to his feet, waiting for her to go inside the house before he followed behind her.

After eating a somewhat decent breakfast of granola bars and a can sliced peaches, and loading up one of the guns Heather had been carrying, her and Rick left the farm house and started walking towards Atlanta. The sun was beating down at them with such force, they had to stop more than a few times within the first two hours they were out. The one thing Heather noticed about Rick that she immediately took a liking to was how understanding and calm he was no matter what the situation. Not being from Georgia, Heather wasn't used to the intense heat that seemed to consume the entire state and because of that, she found it hard to breath through the mugginess.

"I hate this state." she said hoarsly as she sat down under the shade of a tree.

Rick stood in front of her, constantly scanning the fields and beyond in hopes of finding someone or something that would tell them exactly how close they were to their destination.

"How are you still wearing all those layers?" her face was red by this point, the water she had consumed wasn't enough for the searing heat that weakened her bones and drenched her body.

She thought she might have annoyed him but he actually felt quite the opposite. He enjoyed her company and even if he didn't know a thing about her, other than her name, he liked the fact that she was someone to talk to and someone he could rely on. He figured if she wasn't going to stick with him, she would've left while he was asleep. But she was still there when he woke up and she was more than willing to accompany him.

"I'm just used to it, is all." Rick told her, removing his hat as he smiled and sat down in the shade next to her.

She kept quiet, taking a quick sip from her water bottle as she wiped the sweat from her forehead onto the back of her hand. After taking a quick glane at her watch, she slowly stood up and took in a deep breath.

"We should probably get going. It's just after noon and we still have quite a ways to go."

Rick agreed and followed behind her as she began walking again, listening to the song she was humming to herself. She was content in the woods and he noticed that she was looking to the ground, her eyes scanning the grass ahead of her.

"What are you looking for?" Rick asked her, his curiosity getting the better of him.

He heard her laugh softly, "I'm just seeing if there are any tracks from people. I haven't seen any so far."

"What did you do before all of this happened?" Rick found himself asking her, wondering how she learned how to track people.

She hesitated, her left foot pressing into the grass as she tried to find stable footing, then shrugged her shoulders enough for him to see. She didn't like talking about herself, about what she did before she was forced to survive. To her, it didn't matter what happened before, all that mattered was how you handled yourself in the present and how you chose to survive.

"All sorts of things," she started, knowing that she could confide in Rick, if anyone, though it didn't make her comfortable how quickly she realized he was her ally, "I was raised on a farm and my older brother taught me a lot of things that turned out to be pretty useful."

Rick didn't say anything, he just continued following behind her, every now and then stopping to adjust the girl's heavy pack on his shoulders. His silence began to make her uncomfortable.

"Why isn't your family with you?" she asked him quietly, wondering if he would even talk about it. She noticed she wasn't surprised when he started talking to her about the situation.

She didn't speak as he told his story; how he woke up in an abandoned hospital, how he had run all the way home to find his family missing, the neighbors who took him in and took care of him, how he made the decision to go to Atlanta and finally, how he ran into her. He spoke highly of her and how he was glad to have met her, especially in such hard times. She could only smile and nod her head, agreeing with him.

"I really hope you find your family." she told him after he had finished, knowing that reliving everything was hard enough for him.

He nodded his head and tried to smile, "I don't think you ever told me why you were alone."

She tried not to stop, the feeling of dread she had been pushing down into her gut for weeks now began rising. Rick saw her pause before she stepped forward, her limp more noticible as she attempted to speed up. At first he didn't want to press the issue, but after travelling with each other for more than a day and only talking about the weather and their surroundings, Rick thought it would be best if they were to actually get to know each other. She had asked him personal questions and she knew it was only fair that she answered his.

"My brother disappeared. I guess I'm just trying to find him." Heather said quietly.

Rick nodded to himself, taking off his hat as he took in a deep breath.

"How'd he disappear?"

"We were holed up in a gas station outside of Dalton a few weeks after the last broadcast played. We were with a group, maybe 5 or 6 other people. Someone was on watch and they must've gotten distracted because I was asleep one minute and the next my brother was yelling at me to get up. Walkers had showed up and killed pretty much the whole group by the time we got out of that room. I ran one way, he ran the other and I haven't seen him since."

Heather fell silent as she slowed to a stop, pulling the pack off and unzipping the pocket. Rick watched as she took out a bottle of water and took a drink before handing it to him. It wasn't cold but he was glad to have the moisture back in his mouth.

"How do you know he's still alive?" Rick finally asked her as he handed the bottle back to her.

She tilted her head to the side, hoisting the pack onto her, and smiled at him.

"Same reason you know your family is still alive, I guess." she said, "Plus, I hid out in a tree for a day or two and when I went back to the gas station, all of my brother's things were gone but mine was still there. Even had those guns left behind. I think he wants me to find him."

Rick tried to smile at her but the way she spoke of her brother made him slightly uneasy. He had figured in his mind that if her brother wanted to be found, he would've stayed behind to wait for her. He didn't want to mention his doubts to her for the same reason she wouldn't mention hers to him. They were both banking on hope no matter what the cost.

"We have about an hour before the sun goes down." Heather told him, looking up at the sky, "We should find somewhere to crash for the night, right?"

Rick nodded and looked at their surroundings. They were in the middle of the woods now, nothing but trees surrounding them.

"I'm sure if we get out of the woods we can find another house to stay in for the night." Rick suggested, keeping in mind that it was her turn to sleep and his turn to take watch.

Heather agreed and they began to make their way out of the woods.


	4. Chapter 4

**Finally got this chapter into words and out of my head! So far I've been able to get a chapter up each day but with work and school, it might be a day or two before I can get the next chapter up. I promise it will be up as soon as possible.**

As always, thank you everyone who has been reading and reviewing this story! It really means a lot to me!

Enjoy!

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They didn't end up finding a house again but an abandoned building that looked like it had been a corner store at one point before the end of the world had touched it. Trash was littered in the small, makeshift parking lot and Heather could see a few cars that had been left behind, doors open and windows down on all of them.

"Do you think it'll be ok for the night?" Heather asked Rick quietly as she followed him up the narrow concrete sidewalk that led to the front door of the building.

He didn't say anything at first as he peered in, trying to spot any sign of movement or something that looked out of place before they went in. He saw nothing and found himself slightly disappointed that they hadn't run into anything the entire time they were out in the woods. He should have been thankful for that but the harsh reality was that it made him nervous.

"Yeah," he finally said, turning around to see her lowering her gun. Her eyes were wide, probably as nervous as he was. "Let's just scope it out first."

Heather nodded and took in a deep breath, walking behind him as close as possible without touching him. She didn't want to admit to him that the dark made her uneasy and even though she knew she could trust the older man with certain things, she didn't know if she could trust him with her life. It was for that reason which she made the decision to take watch the previous night and why she never tried waking him up like she said she had. She couldn't risk her life for someone she didn't even know.

She was silent, the guilt of her actions coursing through her body slowly, making a lump appear in the base of her throat. Rick would have risked his life to save her's in a heartbeat, despite being mostly strangers. She could tell from the way he protectively held his arm out, not allowing her to step in front of his as they made their way into the building. She wasn't used to someone caring as much as he did.

"Looks alright." Rick said after they searched the small building, "I'll take watch tonight while you sleep. It's the least I can do."

Heather started to agree, knowing that the heat of the day and the lack of sleep from the night before were starting the wear her thin, but she ended up shaking her head and looking back at him.

"I'll be fine. I just need to eat." she assured him, taking her pack over to the counter where the register and some odds and ends were.

He hesitated with his next thoughts, not wanting to bring up any sensitive subjects with the girl. He wanted her to get some sleep. He wanted her to be at her best because he knew they would be reaching Atlanta soon and he had no idea how the city was going to greet them. But he already knew, from being around her in the short amount of time that he had, that she didn't like being coddled and Rick was sure to not make her feel uncomfortable.

"Alright, well since you're staying up, maybe you can help me board up these windows so we'll be safe for the night." Rick said to her as she sat down on the small wire chair that was next to the counter.

The two spent the next hour moving whatever shelves and tables they could to the windows, leaving very little room for them to see out. By the time they were finished, it was dark and the moon was shining through the cracks. Rick made a spot by the front window, dragging over the wire chair Heather had been sitting on before to use as his post. While he stared out into the night, eating a can of pears that she had given him, Heather chose to wander around the small store, thinking that if something happened, Rick would be able to find her right away.

The farthest corner away from Rick was where she managed to find a few more cans of food, including corn and beans, and an extra large novelty shirt that she decided Rick could wear if he ever gave up his uniform. Not feeling satisfied with her finds, she began to check the storage closests that were located in a couple places throughout. The first one she looked in contained mops and brooms, nothing that they would need. The second one had a few blankets and pillow cases, which seemed odd to her but she chose not to question it as she grabbed them and carried them back to the front of the store.

Rick watched her as she folded one up and put it in her pack, then folded another one and set it on the counter, her hand hesitating on it before she grabbed it again and turned towards him.

"Can I put this in your bag?" she asked him, her cheeks turning a faint pink as she tried to smile.

He was confused until he realized she wouldn't do anything to his things without permission. She held onto her manners while the rest of the world forgot how to be polite. Rick let out a quiet laugh and nodded, rising to his feet.

"What else did you find?" he asked.

She showed him the cans of food and then handed him the tshirt, not bothering to hide her small grin as he held it up to himself, his eyes widening at how large it was against him.

"Good find." he commented, folding it up and sliding it into his bag on top of the blanket she had put in there for him.

Heather opened her mouth to reply to him but was cut off by his hand suddenly flying up, his index finger held straight as he stared at her. She was confused and wanted to ask him what he was doing but he moved the finger to his lips, telling her to be quiet.

"I heard something." he said lightly, his voice rising just above a whisper.

She then heard the sound, a shriek that was being carried by the wind. Her stomach dropped, hearing the scream beg for help, all the while getting louder and closer to where her and Rick were hiding out.

"C'mon." he said to her, grabbing the gun from the holster he had strapped to his pants.

"Rick, we can't." she started, shaking her head. She didn't like disagreeing with him and she made sure he could hear the grief in her voice.

"That's a human being out there, Heather. I'm not going to let them die if I have the chance to save them." he stated, walking over to the chair he had been sitting in. He leaned over the chair and peered out the crack in the boards, trying to find the source of the screams. It was so dark, he couldn't see anything.

"We don't even know where they are. Or where they're coming from. They're yelling for help which most likely means they're being chased." Heather was on the verge of panicking, watching Rick as he checked his gun and motioned for her to follow him.

"We have weapons. If they're being chased, we'll deal with it." his voice was stern, the tone coming back as he looked at her. She was scared and he felt bad for pushing her at that moment.

"If you get me killed, I'm going to be pissed." she finally said, swallowing the lump in her throat and taking her gun in hand.

He didn't say anything as she followed him to the door, both of them taking in a deep breath before he opened it and they stepped into the dark. They were still for a second, their guns held out in front of them when they heard the scream again. Rick took off quickly, not giving her notice as he began to run, his legs carrying him in the direction of the screams. Heather sighed and ran after him, having difficulty seeing him in the night even though he was merely inches in front of her.

He stopped unexpectedly, his hand reaching back and grasping onto her forearm, pulling her closer.

"Stay close." he whispered to her, "I can barely see anything out here."

"You don't have to tell me twice." she muttered, grimacing as she stumbled over twigs and rocks that were lying on the ground.

She watched her feet, finding that if she looked straight ahead, she always tripped over something. Rick had somehow managed to walk just fine and when she looked back up, she realized he disappeared. She stopped in her tracks and squinted, trying to see his light tan shirt through the dark.

"Rick?" she called out quietly, knowing that raising her voice would bring all the attention to her.

She waited for his response and when she was met with complete silence, she began muttering under her breath.

"I looked away for two seconds...seriously?" she was talking to herself quietly now, the only hint that she was panicking again.

She lingered hesitantly, setting the weight of her body on her good leg. The way she saw it, she had two options. She could either continuing walking forward in hopes of running into Rick or she could go back to their hide out and wait for him to come back. If he did. The thought frightened Heather to her core and she made the decision to go after him. He would do the same for her.

She started walking forward, waiting for the lone voice to start screaming again, as she held her gun up with shaky hands. A branch snapped to her right and she turned quickly, raising her gun to eye level. There was a still silence until she heard the deep vibration of a groan. It was close and as she slowly twisted her body back to where she was, she could smell the rotting flesh before a pair of gray arms came out of the darkness and latched onto Heather's body.

In her surprise, the gun dropped and she used her free hands to grasp the wrists of the walker, falling back onto the ground. She let out a yelp of pain as she landed on a pile of rocks and felt her hands slipping. Her heart was pounding in her head as she struggled to keep the monsters gnashing teeth away from her skin.

"Rick!" she cried, trying not to let the fear make her scream shrill.

The walker growled deeply, blood and spit flying from it's mouth onto Heather's face. She held her breath and closed her eyes, pushing it away with all her strength. She cursed herself for dropping the gun, something she wasn't proud of and normally wouldn't have done if she hadn't been caught off guard. Her arms started weakening and she felt herself slowly giving up as the walker got closer to her face. She thought about how far she'd come and how pissed she was getting just from knowing this was how she was finally going to die. The fear bubbled in her and before she could stop herself, she let out a blood curtling scream, thinking it was the only way she would be able to be found.

"Rick!" she screamed louder, not bothering to hide the panic as it creeped into her voice.

She was again met with silence, an eerie sound that echoed through her mind. The walker even seemed to stop making noise as she stared up at it, trying to get a good look at the thing that was going to kill her. She gave herself another 10 seconds before she took in a deep breath and closed her eyes, ashamed that she had accepted death so quickly. Just as she started scold herself or attempt to continue fighting the monster off, she heard a gunshot and her face was splashed with liquid, her hands collapsing as the walker fell on top of her. She was breathing heavily as a pair of hands grabbed her under her arms and pulled her to her feet.

"Are you ok?" Rick was asking her, using his hands to wipe away blood that had matted in her hair.

Heather couldn't talk as she stared at him, her eyes wide.

"Did it bite you?" he asked, grasping her shoulder firmly as he looked into her eyes, "Heather, did it bite you?"

She forced herself to shake her head, her breathing slowing down.

"I dropped the gun." she told him quietly, lifting a trembling hand to the ground just a few feet away from where they were standing.

"I don't care about the gun, are you ok?" he asked her again, his voice was thick with concern.

"Y-yes." she stammered, shaking her head again.

"Good," he nodded, dropping his hands to his side as he let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding, "Let's get back inside. Who knows how many of those things heard my gunshot."

Heather followed after him, still shaking, still scared, as he walked back to the building. His steps were slow but she could tell he was anxious to get indoors. She would have lied if she said she wasn't anxious as well.

"You sure you're ok?" Rick questioned when they got back to the corner store, stopping in the doorway to turn back and look at her.

She nodded slowly, "I think I need to get some sleep."

Rick couldn't help the breath of relief he released as she walked past him into the corner store. He made the choice then to not make rash decisions without thinking about them first. She could have died because of him and he realized that that thought scared him.


	5. Chapter 5

**There are a lot of things that are going to be happening in the next couple chapters and I promise, the rest of the group will be introduced very soon! I'm going to keep some things that happened in the TV show but some scenarios are going to be changed around a bit.**

**Thank you everyone who had read and reviewed this story! Also, thank you to everyone who added my story to their alerts! I'm very excited to give you guys more chapters to read.**

**I only own Heather!**

Enjoy!

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After going back into the building, Heather found a space behind Rick's lookout where she curled up with the blanket she found and fell asleep. She slept throught the entire night, not once budging or making any noise. Rick stood guard quietly, every now and then checking on the girl to make sure she was still breathing. Just in case. He didn't see her check herself for any wounds and he certainly couldn't ask to invade her privacy with such a request.

He never found the source of the screams. He had even gone out after Heather had fallen asleep to check the area behind their building, scared out of his wits but bothered by the fact that there was no one around. For a moment he thought he had made it all up in his head but then he remembered Heather had heard them as well and there was no way they were sharing delusions.

When morning came, Heather rose without a word, taking only a second to stretch before she loaded up her items and pulled her bag onto her back. She didn't mention the previous night and Rick saw no reason to bring it up anymore. He already had to deal with the guilt of leaving her alone in the first place. If he hadn't taken off like he did, she probably never would have gotten attacked.

Heather sank back into her normal self after walking for a few hours. The heat must have killed whatever was keeping her silent. They walked for close to four days, stopping at nightfall to find areas where they could camp out. They slept in the backseat of empty cars, cramped together in such a small space, sleep didn't come easy for either of them, if at all. On the third night, they found a warehouse to hide out in, but after having to kill more than a handful of walkers, Rick decided it was safer for them to go somewhere else. They found out that trees were their safest bet that night and neither of them slept.

By the fifth day, Rick was beginning to become discouraged, not knowing how far they had walked and how much further they had left. Heather didn't seem too worried about the thoughts that consumed Rick's mind as she kept walking, kept the conversations light and the humor even lighter. She didn't want Rick to give up or think about giving up before they even made it to Atlanta. They had become each other's rocks since Heather's brush with death. She relied on him to keep her safe and he depended on her to keep him sane.

"What are the plans once we get to Atlanta, sheriff?" Heather slowed her pace to match Rick's, using the back of her hand to wipe the sweat off her forehead. She still hadn't gotten used to the heat.

Rick furrowed his eyesbrows as he looked up at her, the sun hitting the brim of his hat.

"First, we should find wherever they have blockades set up so we can find people. Figure out what to do. I'm sure if my family is in Atlanta, they would have been there first." he told her, watching as she nodded obdiently and smiled at him.

"And when you find your family, what are you going to do?"

Rick hadn't thought about what to do afterwards, he could only think about getting to them.

"I guess I haven't really thought about that." he sighed, adjusting the heavy pack that he held, "When I find my family..." He trailed off, not able to think of anythign to do after the fact.

Heather noticed his hesitance and decided to change the subject, something she was getting so good at, Rick didn't have to voice his doubts.

"First thing I'm doing is finding a beer." she smiled, "If this place we're going to is swimming with the army, then they've got to have at least one bottle of beer I can buy off them."

Rick laughed lightly, shaking his head. He wouldn't mind a beer after the month he had been having.

"I wouldn't even mind a burger right now," she continued, honesty breaking her voice, "I haven't eaten meat in almost 10 years and now, when I don't even have the chance, I would kill for some."

Rick's laugh faded but the smile still lingered.

"What did you do before all this happened?" he asked her.

Heather laughed, taking in a deep breath as she looked up at him, wondering why he was so curious. Rick learned in the amount of time that he was with her, that she never talked about herself. Not once. She mostly pointed the conversation in his direction and avoided her own story at all costs. He knew, though, that she always answered his questions, whether she wanted to or not, no matter how personal or mundane. He didn't bother asking her questions that he knew was pointless, but there were things about her that made him wonder where she came from.

"I did a bunch of things," she finally started, "I mostly went to school but I also worked at grocery store 3 days a week, did volunteer work at the animal shelter every other day. I was also a volunteer to answer all the 911 calls on the weekends. I never really had any free time."

"How old are you, Heather?" Rick questioned gently, his voice barely heard if not carried by the wind.

She slowed her steps, sighing quietly.

"23."

He couldn't stop the small release of air that escaped his lungs, a somewhat choked gasp as he shook his head. He would have believed she was his same age, give or take a year or two.

"You're very wise for your age."

Heather smiled sadly and nodded her head, an emotion crossing her face Rick hadn't seen before. He wasn't sure if he had offended her or if his words simply didn't come out right.

"My mom used to tell me that all the time." she still smiled, her eyes cast down towards the ground, "She used to say I came out of her womb an adult, that I grew up too fast. It bothered her."

She stopped talking, her voice trailing off as she thought about her mom. She hadn't thought of her since before any of this happened, her brother told her those feelings would get in the way of her survival. She knew he was right.

Rick nodded his head when she came to a stop in her story, her silence was a subtle end to the conversation. He noticed she was good at ceasing her words when they became too personal. They continued walking through the brush, their fifth day nearly over.

"We should be coming up to the highway soon," Heather after a few moments silence, her voice wavering slightly from the emotions she hadn't yet swallowed, "We'll be able to find somewhere to camp out for the night."

"We need to find out where we are," Rick said, "I feel like we've been walking for too long."

Heather agreed, her legs were beginning to feel like rubber. She guessed they had walked close to 100 miles, though it could have been more and she wouldn't have known the difference. Rick carried most of the weight for both of them, using Heather's large bag to store the guns he had while she carried both of their backpacks, which contained all of their personal items and food. Though the weight of it had dwindled since they'd been together, the bags were still considered heavy and it was taking it's toll on her.

"I want to find a bed." she said, mostly to herself but loud enough for Rick to hear it and grin to himself, "If I have to sleep in another car, cramped next to your long legs, I'm giving up."

He could hear the joke in her voice but the words still made him uneasy. He wanted to say something to her about it, but around the time he opened his mouth, he could see the black stretch of pavement in front of them. The grin stretched wider as they sped up just an ounce, their excitement at finding something that was similar to a landmark was almost overwhelming for the both of them. After seeing nothing but trees and grass for the last two nights, Rick thought the highway was a welcome sight for sore eyes.

"I actually don't mind sleeping in a car," Heather concluded as they hurried to the road, "let's just find a big one so I can lay down. I can't sleep another night sitting up straight."

She was smiling now, her eyes bright in the harsh sunlight. Rick thought she looked happy although the only time he had seen her less than enthused about anything was the night she got attacked. And even then, she was back to herself in no time. He decided she was the best person he could be around in severely lonely and depressing times, like the present.

"You keep complaining about me but let's not forget about who snores here."

Heather laughed and turned her head back to him, "You, sheriff. You snore so loud, it vibrates."

"We both know that's a lie."

Her laugh suddenly faded and for a moment, Rick was concerned. When he looked at her, he saw that she was staring straight ahead, her eyes focused on something that was beyond the highway. He followed her eyes and squinted, catching sight of a large building just beyond the street they were at. It looked like a school. They both looked at each other and immediately took off, running towards the building. Neither of them knew what it was, but at that point, neither of them cared.

"We check around the building first, then we go inside, got it?" Rick was breathing hard, his words being forced from his mouth at an alarming speed as they continued running.

"You get my back, I got yours." Heather nodded.

It took them just a few minutes to get to what looked like a driveway, and from there, they coud see that building was a high school. The grass surrounding the school was over run by weeds and school work, back packs were even strewn across the lawn. It was unsettling but they walked on, guns in hands.

"Stay on the sidewalk, behind me." he ordered her, knowing that there could be walkers in the grass that they couldn't see. He had seen more than a fair share of walkers that had their legs removed, having to use only their arms to move around. Those were the most dangerous, in his mind.

Heather had her gun drawn, staying mere steps behind the older man as they made their way around the building. There were no walkers in sight outside of the building, which was a slight relief before it occured to them that they would have to go inside to make sure it would be safe for them.

"You ready?" Rick asked her as he placed his hand on the door handle, raising his eyebrows as he looked at her.

She nodded her head and took a step forward, trying to stay as close to him as possible, trying not to admit to herself that she only felt safe when he was directly in her sight.

"Marietta." she said lightly, tilting her head up to look at the name of the school. Rick shrugged his shoulders, not knowing what significance the name of the school held to her.

"Marietta High School is just outside of Atlanta." she could see the smile appear on the sheriff's face, "We're a lot closer than I thought."

"We'll be able to make it there tomorrow. For now, let's check this place out and find somewhere to crash for the night."

She nodded again and watched as he opened the handle to the front doors, not the least bit surprised that it wasn't locked. Whoever had the keys to the school had probably left in a hurry, not bothering to check the locks on the way out.

They spent the better half of the next hour looking around the school, guns drawn and hearts racing as they rounded corners and opened closet doors. After knocking out around three walkers, they stopped finding any and made their way back towards the front of the school, their mission now to find a room for them to stay in. It was Rick's turn for watch that night so naturally, they had to find anything close to a bed for Heather to sleep on.

They found a classroom in the north end of the school, near the auditorium, which Heather decided had been a theatre room at some point. There was a couch in the back corner and a few desks that had been flipped over, providing them with a barricade to surround the door with. It wasn't very comfortable, but she figured it was a lot better than having to share the backseat of a two door hatch back with Rick.

"I think we should find the cafeteria and look for some water. We're almost out."

Rick was sitting by the door of their room, his hat resting on his knee as he ran a hand over his face. He was exhausted but he knew she was right. The sooner they found what they needed, the sooner they could lock themselves in for the night.

He rose to his feet and they slowly made their way back out of the room and into the hallways they had just checked. He was following her now, his steps light behind her as they entered the cafeteria. There were blood stains all over the tables by the doors they used and Heather could see that more than one person had suffered in this room. It made her stomach churn but she kept moving, allowing Rick to walk beside her as they headed back to where a fridge was located.

He opened it for her and held a bag open as she pulled out whatever she could find that was still good. She grabbed water bottles, warm apple juice and a jug of green tea, feeling greatly accomplished as she closed the bag and stood up. Rick's eyes were scanning the rest of the room, darkness slowly engulfing whatever daylight they had left.

"C'mon, let's get back." he said quietly, gently grabbing her arm and pulling her with him.

He began to speed up, a knot forming in his stomach when he saw a flash of light flash thoughout the dark room. Heather gasped and looked up at Rick when he stopped, his eyes wide as he waited.

"What was that?" she asked him, keeping her voice low.

He didn't say anything as he listening, not even sure what he was listening for. This act seemed to make her nervous and she let out a sigh, feeling his hand tighten on her arm before he pulled her again, this time faster and more intense. The light flashed again and Heather heard tires squealing, the sound making the hair on the back of her neck stand up.

"Was that a car?" she hissed when Rick started running, his gut telling him they weren't in a good situation. He only nodded at her and tried to stay quiet as they ran back to the room.

His breathing had sped up by the time he closed the door, pulling whatever desks he could against it. He didn't know why he was so worried about the car, whoever was in there hadn't even seen them. He was sure they wouldn't have to worry about anything until he heard a gunshot and a window shattering.


	6. Chapter 6

**I have two more finals then I will be able to update this more often!**

**Thank you everyone who has taken time to read this, review it, add it to your alerts, etc. I appreciate it!**

I don't own anything except the OC

Enjoy!

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Heather was frozen by the door, her eyes wide as she stared at Rick. The fear was barely etched on his face as they waited for any hint as to what they might do next. Rick was planning in his head but he needed to know if they were in any real danger or if the people in the car were just looking to vandalize and be destructive. If that were the case, they would simply wait it out.

"Grab your bat," Rick ordered her under his breath, "If anything happens, we shouldn't use our guns."

Heather nodded her head and quietly and quickly stepped over to where her things were lying on the couch. She picked up her bat and tightened her grip on it, not wanting to show Rick that she was actually quite frightened. She had run into other people when she was with her brother and, except for the last group they were with, all of them contained bad people who only wanted one thing; food. She learned fast that these people would do anything to get it, even if it meant killing for fun. She lived in fear of becoming food for the humans who hadn't died yet more than being food for the already dead.

"We're going to go out and see what they want." he stated, his voice full of uncertainty as he made the call.

Heather didn't question him, knowing he had gone out of his way to keep her safe for as long as they'd been together. She wasn't sure about his decision but she would never voice it out loud, mainly for the fact that she didn't want him to second guess himself. If he started doing that, there was no telling how alive they would be once they got to Atlanta.

"Rick..." she started. She wanted to express concern but she wasn't sure how to go about it without offending him, if that were even possible.

He leaned in closer to her and put a hand on his hip, using his other hand to hold his gun.

"You told me when you first met me that if you could trust anyone, it would be me. I need you to start now. I promise, I'm not going to let anything happen to you, I just need you to trust me on this."

She gulped and nodded her head slowly. All she had to do was trust him.

"Just stay behind me and we'll get this sorted out." he said to her, reaching his hand up to grasp her shoulder lightly, reassuringly, as he nodded.

They exited the room, hearing several people yelling on the outside of the school. It made Heather's heart beat faster than normal as they made their way down the hall and to the front doors of the school. Rick was leading the way, his gun in one hand while he held her knife in the other. She was armed with just her baseball bat and when they finally got to the front of the school, she wished she had grabbed her gun as well.

Rick held a finger up to his lips as he looked at her through the dark, silently telling her to be even quieter than she already was, if possible. She closed her eyes and focused on the voices that were outside, hoping for a split second that her brother was among them. He wasn't but she couldn't help the small feeling of despair as she reopened her eyes and saw Rick looking at the door.

"How many people do you think are there?" she asked him quietly, aware that he was trying to think of a way out of the situation.

He shrugged then turned towards her.

"Go around to the other side of the door and peek out that window, I think they're just in front." he told her, pointing to the opposite side of him where a large window had been partially covered by old school flyers.

She stepped around him carefully and took in a deep breath as she peered out the window. She saw the car that they were in, a large black SUV and slowly counted all the people she could see. There was at least 7 guys and they didn't look very friendly.

"I can't see very well but I think there's about 10." she rounded up, knowing that there could be more people either hidden or checking the place out, as they had done just a couple hours before.

Rick nodded his head, trying to think of a plan that would help them out. There was the sound of another window smashing, this time more towards the back of the school. Heather felt herself jump slightly as she turned back around, facing Rick.

"They're going around back." It was a statement rather than a question but the tremble in her voice made it edgy.

Rick took in a breath, drawing his gun up as he nodded again, fear taking over his ability to think straight. He thought it was strange how he felt disappointed when bad things didn't happen to them and when they finally did, he just wished that it would go away. He knew the next day, they could make it to Atlanta. They just needed to survive the night.

"Ok," he breathed again, "We're going to lock these doors for now, then go around back and see what kind of damage was done there and if we can fix it up. If they really wanted to get in here, they'd be in here by now."

It made enough sense to Heather for her to agree. Rick seemed sure of his plan and she realized she trusted him, moreso than she trusted herself when it came to making decisions for the both of them. She had always only looked out for herself, listening to the advice her brother gave her just days before he ran. She couldn't even begin to start making decisions for Rick.

She twisted her body back around to face the window again, glancing out to see if the group had moved. They had and it looked like the rest of the group had met up with them, more bodies than she originally thought climbing into the back of the SUV.

_"Walkers!" _

Heather straightened her body and swallowed the lump in her throat, a piece of herself that always showed up at the worst times. She found it difficult to breath suddenly when she looked beyond the vehicle and saw a group of walkers headed in their direction. When she turned back to Rick, he was staring directly at her, his eyes wide from either shock and fright. Or both.

She waited for him to tell her what to do next, not knowing how to react as her body froze. He was still listening, using his instincts to decode anything that was happening before he made the next call. They would hide.

"They're getting closer." Heather whispered to him, her voice rising.

He wanted to grab her and run but for some reason, his legs were glued to the floor. A part of him believed that the walkers wouldn't even get close to the school, they would walk right by it. He didn't want to believe that their only safe haven was soon to be destroyed.

The group outside began shooting their guns, wiping out the walkers that were close enough to see through the dark. Heather was watching them through the window, her body tense, prepared to bolt in the opposite direction if they had to. She could see at least two dozen walkers outside, only a few of them being picked off. It worried her, knowing she didn't have her gun.

"I'm thinking." Rick stated quietly, running a hand through his hair as he stared to the ground.

Heather barely heard him over the shouts and gun shots of the opposing group. She was so involved in what was happening outisde, she barely even heard more windows being smashed near the back of the school. Her body jerked around when she heard the first, nearly silent moans from however many walkers had gotten into the building. Her hand tightened on her bat.

"We need to go." she looked over at Rick, watching him nod before he grasped his gun again and motioned with his head for her to follow him.

She heard one last shot from the group outside before the tires squealed and the headlights began to disappear. It was a relief and burden, not knowing how many walkers the group had taken out before they took off. She wasn't sure how many had gotten into the school and how many were still outside, waiting for their chance to get their dinners.

Out of curiosity, she took one last look out the window, trying to see for herself just how many walkers they would have to put up a fight against. She was only mildly surprised when she saw the SUV still in front, the headlights now off. It confused her until she saw one of the men from the group lifting a large rock in his hands. She looked back at Rick, starting to tell him what she was seeing, when he raised his gun. His shot caused her to jump and cover her mouth to keep from letting out a scream of surprise. She turned around and saw a walker lying on the ground, a fresh bullet hole in it's forehead.

"We need to go." Rick said this time, repeating the words she had spoke just seconds earlier.

It was her turn to nod before she took a step towards him, just a step before the window next to him shattered and he fell to the ground. She stopped in her tracks and looked at the scene before her, trying to figure out what happened. She saw the rock on the ground and the blood pooling around Rick's head and she knew what happened.

Taking just a second to adjust to the change, she ran forward and kneeled next to the older man, touching his head lightly where the rock had split his temple open. From the color of the blood, she could tell that it wasn't as deep as all the blood let on, but he was still unconscious and there were walkers in the school that had, no doubt, heard the glass breaking and the gun shot, if not both. She quickly pressed her fingers to the side of his neck, breathing out a sigh of ease when she found his pulse, still strong and steady.

Then she was panicking, looking down at her clothes to find something she could use to tie off the wound to stop the bleeding. She was wearing her shorts and one of the white tshirts Rick had been carrying, nothing she would be able to use. She considered her options then decided Rick's button up shirt would work for now, though she felt uncomfortable taking it off of him. He was wearing another tshirt underneath but she still looked away, not sure how exactly you were supposed to undress an unconscious, married man.

Once she had the shirt wrapped around his head and she had picked up the gun he dropped, she tried to figure out her next move. The room they had found was located too far away for her to get him there, especially with an unknown number of walkers inside. The only thing she could think of, was to hide in any of the utility closets that were in every hallway in the school.

She stood up, then leaned over and grabbed Rick under his arms, lifting his upper body so she could drag him. He was a lot heavier than he looked and she started swearing quietly under her breath as she dragged him a few steps, awkwardly trying to hold onto her bat along with his gun and knife. She lowered his body back down and slid the knife into the belt loop of her shorts, not sure where she was supposed to put the bat. She could only lay it on top of Rick's body before she lifted him back up and started dragging him again, the gun still held in her hand as she also tried holding onto him. There was no way she would be letting go of that gun.

Just as she had gotten him away from the front door and the broken windows, a walker rounded the corner at the end of the hallway, hesitating before it turned in her direction, spotting her at the opposite end. She saw that it's right leg was barely attached to it's body as it dragged itself towards her, slow enough for Heather to continue dragging Rick without having to worry right away.

The walker was growling as it tried to speed up, knowing that this would be the easiest meal it could get. The thought didn't comfort Heather as she lowered Rick's body again, raising the gun and pointing it at the walker. She focused on the subject, watching it's movement as Rick had taught her, then slowly pulled the trigger, watching the walker drop to the ground.

She didn't know if the group outside was still there but at the moment, she didn't care. Her only objective was to get Rick to safety and she wasn't going to let anything stop her. His life was in her hands and no matter how agonizing that reality was, she couldn't let him down. She couldn't let his family down.

"Rick, I need you to wake up." she spoke to him quickly, continuing to drag his body as she tried to keep her breath.

Another walker turned the corner, not noticing the two of them right away. Heather took that chance to remain out of sight. She pulled Rick around a corner quickly, letting out a breath when she finally saw the door to one of the closets they had checked. She started pulling faster, her fear boosting whatever adrenaline she had left in her body. She heard the groans and sighs of more walkers down the hallway she had just left and when she swung open the door, she could hear them getting closer.

She stepped into the closet first, rechecking it out of paranoia, then dragged Rick in, closing the door behind them. Her body collapsed to the ground as the door latched and she tried to slow her breathing. Rick's body was partially on top of hers, his head laid against her shoulder as she tried to make room for both of them. She attempted to find humor in the situation, realizing she was cramped in a small closet with his long legs this time, not a car. Her attempt was cut short by the realization that she didn't how long Rick would be out.

Their food and personal stuff, including other guns, were in a room that could have been on the opposide side of the world. They were surrounded by walkers and stuck in a closet in some high school in the middle of nowhere.

She just needed to survive the night.


	7. Chapter 7

Minutes passed, then hours, then Heather lost track of time completely. The dark closet gave no hint as to when day became night and night melted into day. She was stuck, in more than one sense. Her legs partially hidden by the unconscious sheriff's lanky legs, her mind torn by opposing decisions. Her loyalty to the fallen man outweighed her thought of leaving the closet while she tried to get to their possesions. If she failed, death for both of them would be the outcome. She could deal with the punishment by her own fault, but she couldn't have Rick's blood on her hands as well. She may have survived on her own long before he had come around, but she knew he had given more than he should have when he took her in. If anything, she owed him her life.

She was surprised at the lack of effort the walkers put into finding their meal. The closet they were hiding in hadn't once been messed with. She was sure the group of men had already left and now the only souls wandering the corridors of the school were ones of the dead. She could hear them moaning and shuffling around every so often but they never came close enough for her to think about a next step. The original plan was to wait until Rick woke up, no matter how long it took. She was starving and thirsty and the heat from the long days were enough to keep her from sleeping, but still she waited, frequently pressing her fingers to his neck as she searched for his pulse. It was always there.

When Rick finally began to stir in his sleep, Heather's legs were numb from sitting in the same position for so long. Her stomach had begun growling just hours before and she felt as if a weight had been lifted from her chest as he moved his head slowly. He was immediately aware of the girl's body behind him as he tried to sit up, using whatever strength he had to push himself forward. He could barely remember what happened but he figured it must have been severe from the throb in his head and the cloth that had been tied around him. He couldn't see anything through the darkness but he could feel that his own shirt was wrapped around his head.

"Don't speak too loud." Heather whispered to him, her voice cracking. She tried not to cough as she took in a breath, desperate for water.

"What happened?" he asked her, trying to match her same tone.

She explained everything quickly, in a hurried breath, wanting to get out of that closet as soon as possible. Rick disgested their issues, nodding his head as he untied the shirt from around his head, reaching up to touch the wound after it was bare. It was scabbed over and he could feel that the area around it was swollen and most likely bruised. It was sore but without the shirt, his head throbbed less.

"Do you know how many walkers are in here?" he asked, still barely able to see anything in front of him. He was sure that Heather was right in front of him just because he could feel her legs stretched out, her shoes touching his calves.

"No idea. I don't even know how long we've been in here." she answered honestly, "I wouldn't be surprised if the whole group had made it in here."

He was thinking, concocting a plan in his head to get out of the closet. The only problem he kept running into was the fact that neither of them could tell whether it was night or day. He needed it to be day, for their safety. Trying to reclaim their things at night wouldn't be easy or preferred, they wouldn't be able to see well without a flashlight or lighter and that would just bring more attention to them from the outside. Daytime was the only way.

"Do we have the weapons we brought with us?"

Heather said they did, she mentioned how she nearly lost them while dragging him. She said it with no hint of venom in her voice and he knew that she was happy, if not estatic that he was still alive. He didn't know of anything he could do to repay her.

Then he had an idea.

"Hand me your knife." he ordered, holding his hand out.

She blindly handed it to him and squinted her eyes, trying to see what he was doing. He moved the knife to the crack at the bottom of the door, tilting the blade so it mirrored what was happening outside, just enough so he could glimpse a window. The sun was out and Heather saw the flash of the silver blade as he pulled it back, glad he had decided to wake up at the most convenient time.

"We might as well just make a run for it." he suggested, figuring the hallways were wide enough if they needed to dodge anything quickly. They were both fast on their feet though Rick wasn't sure just how quick they would be after being crowded in the closet.

"I really don't know how well that's going to work for me. I can't feel my legs." Heather was smiling, nearly shocked at how happy she was to have another person to talk to. She had never minded being alone before.

"We're going together." he was reminding her, rising to his feet in the small space, "Get up and grab your bat."

She tried standing and almost immediately collapsed back to the ground. Her right leg was completely useless, being stuck under Rick's body for so long and her left leg was just beginning to wake up. She laughed quietly, not knowing how else to react, and tilted her head up to squint at Rick through dark. He reached his hand down and grasped her forearm, then pulled up her and held her upright, letting out a quiet sigh.

"You'd better hope there's not too many of those things out there." he snorted, his tone deep enough for Heather to know he was messing with her.

"Maybe you should just let me use your gun. There's no way I'll have enough leg strength to fend for myself with just a bat. You'd have better luck with my bat." she explained to him slowly, waiting for his opinion.

Normally, he would have had something to say about a sheriff without his gun, but this time he knew she was right. The only way they would be able to get out safe and alive was if she had the automatic weapon and he used the melee. He took the bat from her free hand and traded it with his gun, not saying a word about how the exchange left him feeling slightly inadequate. He would complain about it later, most likely in the privacy of his own mind.

"You ready?" he asked, raising his voice slightly as he grabbed the doorknob.

She nodded and immediately winced when the door flew open and bright light flashed at them. It temporarily blinded her, not having seen it for however long they had been in the closet and she felt her nerves jump when Rick's body lauched the opposite way, his bat hitting something hard as he let out a breath of air. When she finally was able to see again, she saw a walker lying on the ground next to them, it's head bashed in from the bat.

"Can you see now?"

She nodded again slowly, her eyes fully adjusted as he dragged her carefully beside him. He grasped her forearm tightly, scared that she would drop again if he let go. His hand held onto the bat tightly, ready to swing again if he needed to.

"We're going to get our stuff, then make a run for it. There's no way we can stay in this place now." Rick said, "If we're close to Atlanta, we might still be able to make it before the end of the day."

"We should find a map first. I mean, this is a school, there has to be one in one of the classrooms." Heather commented, thinking that if they had a map, it would be much easier for them to get where they needed.

"Good idea, at least that way, we'll know we're heading in the right direction."

She didn't say anything else as he walked briskly with her attached to his arm. He was watching every corner, moving everytime a breeze would somehow pick up and move whatever was lying in the abandoned hallways. She kept the gun drawn as she helplessly dragged her more than limp foot beside him.

"Thank you." Rick said quietly as they made their way into the room they had claimed as their own.

Heather turned to him, confused for a split second before she felt herself smile and nod. He let her arm go as she braced her weight against the chair, her leg finally feeling fuzzy. She could barely feel the pins and needles.

"I don't know how many people would have stayed in that closet with me for as long as you did. I really can't thank you enough." he continued, nodding his head as he hardly forced a smile.

"You don't have to thank me," she shook her head, "I know you would've done the same for me."

Rick couldn't help but laugh lightly as he nodded again. She was right. He realized that, just like him, she paid attention to the little details in people's personalities. The bond he felt with her had only intensified since she had undoubtedly kept him from becoming walker food.

"Just remember to tell your family all about me." she grinned at him, twisting her foot around in circles as it began waking up.

He continued smiling as he quickly grabbed his pack, glancing at the door whenever he heard a noise out in the hallway. Heather lifted the back packs onto her back and held the gun tightly in her hand, watching as Rick stepped back over to the door. He peeked outside the door then turned back to her.

"It's clear," he told her, running a hand through his hair. He didn't bother wearing his hat anymore, he simply kept it in the bag he carried, "We should get going now if we want to make progress before it gets dark out. We'll find a map then go."

Heather stood by Rick, taking in a breath to prepare herself as he opened the door again and they walked out. It only took them a few minutes to find a classroom that had a map and once they ripped it off the way, they made their way out of the building. After what happened in the front of the school, Rick thought it was best if they exited from the back, finding that leaving from there would put them in the right direction. He ended up killing two more walkers, using the bat he still held onto as Heather waited behind him.

There were more bodies strewn at the back of the school, whoever had been there, killed more than a handful of them. Heather didn't want to admit that she was partially grateful for the group of men that had tried to overrun the school. Without them, her and Rick would most likely be bombarded by the walkers that were surrounding the area.

Once they were outside, Rick held the bat out in her direction and smiled. He didn't have to say anything for her to know he wanted to trade weapons back, he was too nice to come out and ask for it, he thought it would be rude since she had gone out of her way to keep him alive. She understood though and she handed him his gun, taking her bat in hand. When they were finally situated and adjusted to the sweltering heat again, they began walking towards Atlanta.

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**Sorry this took so long!**

**They'll be in Atlanta in the next chapter then everyone else will be introduced. Also, I don't plan on killing any of the main people off. This includes Shane. He becomes a very important part of the story later on.  
**  
**Enjoy!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Hello! This chapter was really difficult to write, mainly because there were other things that I wanted to happen but I couldn't figure out how to put them in.**

**I hope you enjoy it anyway! Feedback is always appreciated!**

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The sun was still shining brightly as Heather and Rick finally made it just outside of Atlanta. They were greeted by an unwelcome sight; cars lined all the streets going into the city, abandoned and broken down. It looked like some of them had even been set on fire when things starting going sour. There was trash littered along the sidewalks, paper all around that was covered in blood and other bodily fluids. There were even chunks of what looked like arms or legs from animals strewn across the pavement and in the surrounding grassy areas. An abundance of rotting corpses caused Heather to cover her mouth from the stench.

"I didn't think it would look like this." she muttered through her palm, shaking her head in disbelief.

Rick didn't say anything as he walked beside her, his eyes not understanding what he was seeing. He thought Atlanta would be..different. He didn't imagine it being torn down and destroyed just like every other place he had been to. It nearly crushed any hope he had for finding his family and when he let out a heavy sigh, he felt Heather touch his arm lightly, trying to reassure him.

"C'mon," she motioned with her head, "Let's go find your family."

He nodded, turning his sight back to what was in front of him, and gripped his gun in his shaking hand. They trudged on, stepping around bodies and fallen vehicles. They had come across one walker but Rick insisted on not using their guns and instead, just walking past it. Heather didn't agree with him, though she didn't voice it. She waited for him to continue moving forward before she turned around and slammed the blade of her knife into the dead guy's skull. After cleaning her knife off, she caught up to Rick and released a breath. She was doing what needed to be done to keep both of them safe.

Rick needed a plan and he realized that while they walked down Peachtree Road, their eyes peeled for any threats that might come their way. He didn't know where the refugee center would be located or if his wife and son were even there. Heather seemed sure of his ability to think for both of them but her life was in danger just as much as his was because he didn't know what to do. He thought harder, looking at the surrounding buildings as they passed them slowly.

"I think I have an idea." he said quietly, his steps coming to a halt as he used his hand to block the sun from his stare.

Heather stopped as well, turning in the direction he was facing. She understood that with Rick, there always had to be a plan and even though she had always acted spontaneously when she was alone, a plan worked better when you were travelling with someone. Rick's planning had definitely kept them safe for as long as they had been together.

Rick kneeled to the ground and pulled the pack off his back, opening it and pulling out two black walkie talkies. He turned them on and tested them quietly before he handed one to Heather and rose to his feet again. He waited until after he had pulled the pack back on before he explained himself to her.

"I need you to get in one of those buildings, go as high up as you can, let me know if there are any camps set up anywhere or if any roads are blocked." he told her, pointing to the tall building that was in front of them.

"What are you going to do?" she already knew what he was going to do.

"I'm going to make sure it's safe before we both go. I have a bad feeling about this place and I don't want to drag you out there without knowing what we're going to be up against."

She wanted to object, tell him she could look after herself but arguing with Rick would be pointless as she knew she would do as he said in the end, regardless of how she felt about it. Not only did she not want to be alone, she didn't want him to get into trouble without her near to help him.

Rick looked back at her and frowned when he saw how upset she was over his decision. He was making her feel useless but no matter how many times he tried to think of another plan that would involve both of them, he continued to have a sick feeling in his gut. He couldn't risk her getting hurt.

"I know you don't want to do this and I'm sorry I'm making you but believe me when I say, I'm doing this with your best interest in mind." he finally said, turning away from her so he couldn't see the hurt, "It has to be done this way."

She hesitantly nodded and let out a sigh. She was his lookout, if that was all she could do for him, she was going to excel at it.

"After you let me know what you see, don't use the walkie talkie unless you need to." he told her, "I'm not sure how much battery is left in them and those are the only things I don't have."

"Are we meeting back up?" she asked him quietly.

He turned back to her and tried to smile as he nodded.

"Of course. You take my bag with you and I'll get it back when we see each other again."

"As soon as you find what you're looking for."

He nodded again, "I just want to make sure this city is safe before we move on."

"Get going then, I'll see you in a little bit." Heather said, turning on her heel to walk to the building. She figured if she didn't leave then, she would have ended up following Rick anyway.

Rick waited until she had gone inside the building before he started walking down the street again, holding his gun at his side as he held the walkie talkie up by his face. He heard a crackle of static before Heather's voice came through, sounding slightly worn but still soft. He could tell she had run up however many flights of stairs to get to where she was.

"It looks like there's a camp set up a few blocks to the left of you. I can't see anyone though." she relayed her information to him, her breath uneven as she tried to calm her breathing.

"How many blocks?"

"About 7, I think. I can't really see over the other buildings. I'm going up a little higher. Hold on."

Rick continued walking until he got to the end of the block, then he turned left and saw the camp in the distance. He felt his heart speed up slightly, his feet picking up as he thought about how close he was to finding his family. They wouldn't even know what he had been through just to get to them. Before he could even comprehend what was happening, he was running towards the camp. He saw people surrounding the camp, walking back and forth between the tents as he got closer. Then he could smell the overwhelming scent of death and he knew he had made a mistake.

He was less than 50 feet away when the first walker turned to him. She was missing half of her lower jaw, the blood coagulated around the wound while spit continued to fall in long streams. Rick thought she might have been attractive at some point in her life but now all he could see was a monster that would be the death of him if he didn't move fast. She lunged at him, her hands clawing at the fabric of his shirt. He pushed her back and aimed his gun at her head then pulled the trigger. When he looked up, breathing heavily from the shock and despair of the situation, he saw that the people who were surrounding the camp weren't people at all. The entire city of Atlanta was dead and he was in the belly of the beast.

"Rick, I can't see you." Heather's voice came over the walkie talkie again, quiet and staticy.

Rick didn't have a chance to answer before the city came at him, their groans and growls filling the void where the strange silent calm had taken place. He was tripping over his feet, trying to run but he had no idea where to go. Heather couldn't see him so she couldn't guide him to safety.

Heather peered out the window, her eyes scanning the crowded streets for the sheriff. She gripped the walkie talkie in her hand, hoping desperately for Rick's voice to come over the channel. She was nervous and scared and as she saw the massive group of the dead that were in the streets, she feared for Rick's life.

"Heather, are you there?"

She fumbled with the walkie, bringing it up to her lips as she trembled.

"I am. Where are you?" she asked him, trying to remain calm.

She heard him stammer, "In a tank."

She instantly got to her feet and grabbed the bags she had dropped by the door of the room she was in. Once she had them both slung onto her back, she took in a deep breath and nodded to herself.

"I'm coming to get you." she stated into the walkie, already in the hallway and walking towards the direction of the stairwell.

"No." Rick's voice was loud and stern, the authority stopping her in her tracks, "It's not safe out here. I need you to find a way out of the city."

Whatever fear she had been feeling before completely disappeared as anger took over.

"This is bullshit, Rick." she spoke to him, the words coming out in an unsteady stream.

"I know you're upset, but I'll find a way out. I didn't get this far to die in a tank." he assured her, finding it eerie how he was speaking to her in the same tone he used with his son when he had to explain things that didn't make sense.

Heather didn't say anything as she ignored what he said and started making her way down the stairs. He was still talking to her, filling her in on how he might get out of the tank and out of the city. She barely heard him as she stepped out of the building and continued in the direction he had been heading in. She was walking quickly, knowing that if she realized what she was doing, she would chicken out and turn around. The choice she was making would most likely save Rick's life again but it left her wondering about her own fate.

She rounded the corner where the camps were set up, seeing the tank just a block away. There was a swarm of walkers covering it, beating against the metal as they tried to get in. She took in a deep breath, noticing how bad she was trembling, and stepped closer. The walkers that had been in the campsite were gone, most of them followed Rick to the tank. There were a few stragglers but she figured if she could get past them, the rest would be easy.

"Rick, wait until after the second gunshot, then get out of the tank." Heather said quietly, not wanting to get any walker's attention that were close.

"What are you doing?" Rick asked. His fatherly instincts kicked in and he found that he wanted to scold her, ground her, do anything to keep her from doing whatever it was she was about to do.

She repeated what she said then flipped off the walkie talkie, not wanting to drain the battery anymore. It was almost dead as it was. She pushed herself off of the wall she was glued to, putting herself in the middle of the block, then held her gun in the air. She pulled the trigger and watched as every single walker turned their head in her direction. She stepped backwards, gently setting Rick's bag on the ground just inches from where he had dropped the pack that carried his guns. She knew better than to take without asking, but she didn't know how long she would be by herself so she grabbed the biggest rifle he had and held it in her arms.

The walkers were now advancing on her, their arms raised. She fired the gun again and when the first one lunged at her, she twisted her body around and began running. She heard the sounds of the walkers behind her, some closer than others and when she peeked over her shoulder, she saw most of them were following her and there were very few left on the tank. Her feet hit the pavement at an alarming speed, the weeks of staying in shape finally coming in handy.

Rick was breathing hard, having heard the gunshots. He had tried getting her on the walkie talkie, but he knew Heather had already flipped it off. He was at a loss, torn between getting out as she had said, or staying there to wait for something, anything that would help him out. He had to act quickly, no matter what he had decided to do then. He checked his ammo then stood as much as he could in the tank. He had just placed his hand on the door when static crackled over the radio inside the tank.

"Hey, you! Dumb ass! Hey, you in the tank! Cozy in there?"


	9. Chapter 9

**This is kind of a filler chapter and I'm so sorry for that! I had to first explain everything before I could go on and type what's happening next. So this is more or less an update and I promise you'll get a new chapter in the next day or two.**

**Enjoy!**

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Heather ran until her legs were on fire and continued running after that. She wasn't sure how long she had been running or even how far she had gotten but she could still hear the dead following after her. The gun she carried with her had grown to be heavy and the bag on her back was surely weighing her down. She knew she couldn't stop.

She didn't realize she was out of the city until she began passing farm houses and long stretches of fields. Still, she kept going despite the burn in her legs and the lack of breath she could catch. There was no telling how much longer she could run before passing out from exhaustion, which she knew would be soon.

She had done her part in helping Rick survive so he could get to his family though she had no idea if he had even gotten out of the tank. The thought alone that her final act of desperation did nothing should have slowed her down, but she pushed that thought far away as she continued on. _Rick would have done the same thing_, she kept telling herself, not wanting any reason to regret the impulsive decision she made.

Her brother had warned her once, before he had begun losing himself to the new world, the perils of being in a group. He told her to stick with family or no one at all. She tried justifying this in her head as she ran, by thinking Rick had become her family. He hadn't abandoned her like her own brother had, he had stuck with her and even protected her. Rick had become the only family she knew and the only friend she had anymore. Leaving him in that tank wasn't easy for her but she figured he deserved to live more than anyone else and if she could help further him, she would gladly sacrifice herself.

She knew then, that her brother didn't warn her about being in group because they were dangerous for her, he warned her because he knew getting attatched to someone in this world was more trouble than it was worth. Death had been inevitable before but now, with so few living people left, dying was a curse and they were all just living on borrowed time.

Her legs started slowing down, her body heaving with gasps of breath as she clutched the gun in her hands. She was shaking, the realization of her impending doom hitting her full force. She turned around, her eyebrows furrowed as she frowned at the herd of walkers still running after her. She raised the gun and aimed at one of the walker's head, placing her finger on the trigger.

"This is it." she said to herself quietly, wishing someone was there to tell her otherwise.

She closed her eyes, not wanting to see the end as it crept closer.

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Rick made it out of the tank safely, retrieved his guns and bag that Heather had left for him, and managed to find his family. Happy couldn't even begin to describe how he felt when he realized his best friend had taken care of Lori and Carl while he was gone, a task that wasn't considered a burden to the man who never had a family of his own. Rick was thankful but overwhelmed by the amount of people still alive and living with his wife and son.

He tried adjusting to his new surroundings but often found himself thinking about where Heather had run off to. He had gone back into Atlanta with a small group of men from the survivors to try and find her, to no avail. He didn't want to think about how she was most likely dead, but that thought popped up the second he got new batteries for the walkie talkie and was only left with static.

He continued living.

After half heartedly moving on from the surprisingly painful blow of Heather's death, Rick, his family, and a small group of survivors decided to make their way to the CDC. He wanted to find a cure or answers and he found that ever since he had voiced his opinion and his best friend, Shane, had backed him up on it, he had become their unofficial leader, whether he wanted it or not.

They had found a safe haven for a night, long enough for the lone man within the building to tell them there was no hope. The group wasn't very large but even losing the few people they had was enough for a majority of them to believe the fact. No one knew how many people were left alive and how long they were able to survive in the conditions that just seemed to keep getting worse.

When the CDC imploded and they were left with nowhere to go, Rick discovered he had a hard decision to make but with the encouragement of Shane and the support from Lori, he knew it was time to find somewhere new. He had it in his mind that they would need to find a place that could keep them sheltered and safe from the outside world, the dead and the ever changing weather. If they were lucky, they could find a house or a building large enough for all of them.

Luck was not on their side.

Not even two weeks after leaving the CDC, the group found themselves stranded on a long stretch of road clogged with broken down and abandoned cars. They were scavenging the cars when a herd of walkers blew through the area. They all hid under the vehicles but a few stragglers had chased out one of the only children, Sophia, and chased her into the woods. Rick followed her and told her to hide but because she was young and scared, she ran off before he had a chance to go get her. He blamed himself for her missing and even when Lori tried telling him it wasn't his fault, he couldn't help but feel otherwise.

They searched for her the remainder of the day, using whatever light they had left to look. Rick had enlisted the help of the group's outcast, Daryl, who was a hunter and had a knack for tracking. Rick found out that Daryl wasn't too friendly but the hunter seemed to volunteer the second Rick had come back without the girl. He may not have been nice, but he was the only one who could figure out which direction she had run, which was good enough.

They had searched for Sophia for days, staying camped by the large road block, when the bad luck continued. Rick had taken Carl, his son, and Shane to look on one side of the woods, while Daryl took the rest of the group the opposite way. It was hot and the sun was out but the nervous feeling in Rick's stomach had made him forget about everything while he tried to place the bad feeling. Less than 10 minutes later, he was carrying Carl's limp body to a farm he had never been to. The man who had accidently shot the boy was following Shane, who, knowing the boy the entire time he'd been alive, wasn't too thrilled about Rick's order to not shoot the man.

Rick was already in the house, his son's blood covering most of his body as Shane dragged the man up the front steps to the porch. He didn't know if his son was alive and he felt helpless, not being able to do anything. He couldn't even comprehend the fact that there were other people, a family, in fact. He was crying and when Shane began to comfort him the best he could, Rick was hit with the realization that his wife was out in the woods and she didn't know about the accident.

"Where's your wife?" a young woman asked Rick as he stood in the doorway of the bedroom Carl was in. She had overheard him and feeling pity for the older man, she offered to go find Lori.

Not being able to speak properly, Rick allowed Shane to explain to the girl where the group might be. She left in a hurry, promising Rick she would bring back his wife. He was grateful. Before Rick could sit down and digest everything that had happened, Hershel, the doctor who owned the house and was trying to save Carl's life, told Rick that the boy needed blood. He knew they both had the same blood type, something the doctor considered lucky, and obliged, beginning his first transfusion.

Maggie, the young woman, arrived with Lori not too long after that. Rick wanted to keep Carl's pain from her, knowing that she would be heartbroken by how fragile and broken her boy looked in the large bed. Rick tried to calm her sobs but discovered that he didn't even know where to start. He let her cry and as Hershel explained what could happen to Carl, he nearly broke down as well. Hershel thought could fix the boy, but he didn't have any of the equipment that he needed to do so.

Much to Rick and Shane's surprise, Otis, the man who accidently shot Carl, knew where they could get the items and even offered to go retrieve them. Shane volunteered to go with, having just promised Rick he would do whatever it took to get that boy back on his feet. He knew Rick couldn't leave and since he considered the Grimes's his family, it felt natural for him to go.

Shane didn't like the idea of having to go with Otis nor did he like the fact that where they were going had been set up as a FEMA shelter right before the dead took over, but he couldn't let Carl die and since Rick had to stay close for the transfusions, Shane knew the decision had already been made.

He loaded up his gun and shook hands with Rick, telling his best friend he would be right back, then got into the truck Otis had occupied and watched from the rear view mirror as the farm house got smaller and smaller.


	10. Chapter 10

**I had to type this chapter out before I forgot exactly what was going to happen, so here's another chapter for you to enjoy!**

Thank you to everyone who keeps reading and reviewing this, I really enjoy and appreciate all the things you guys say about this!

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When night finally fell, Shane had come back with the supplies. Otis wasn't with him. Deep down, Rick knew what really happened at the FEMA shelter though Shane told him a long, complicated story about Otis sacrificing himself for Carl. It didn't add up right away but Rick could have cared less, he only cared about his son's life at that moment. Any other problems could be dealt with once Carl was stable.

Shane knew he had made a bad decision, maybe even a mistake, but he would do anything to keep the Grimes family alive. When he got back to the house with the supplies and Hershel saw that Otis wasn't with him, he understood what might have happened and told the men to keep it from Otis's wife, Patricia, who was the only other person who could help with the surgery. She was told afterwards and Shane went to sleep that night trying to drown out the poor woman's sobs.

Morning came and, to the best of his ability, Shane tried to act normal. While showering the night before, he had noticed a spot on his head where Otis had pulled his hair out, trying desperately to live despite the bullet Shane had put in his leg to keep him down, use him as bait. It made him sick to think about it, how selfish such an act was, but he convinced himself he did it for the right reasons. No one else had to know about it, only he needed to live with the guilt. He shaved his head then, worried that someone would question why he was missing hair in that spot.

He did it for the right reasons.

The rest of the group met up with the few people on the farm later that morning, all of them worried about Carl's fate. Dale, the oldest man there and the group's moral compass, was instantly relieved when Lori told him Carl would live.

He had stayed back with Daryl and a couple of the women at the road block, keeping watch while the hunter and Andrea, the closest thing Dale had to a daughter, continued searching for Sophia throughout the night. There was still no sign of her and when they returned empty handed yet again, the girl's mother, Carol, could only sleep and wait until morning.

Hershel had agreed to let the group stay on his farm until Carl was well enough to move around on his own but after that, they would have to leave. Rick kept quiet and nodded his head as the man spoke, already trying to figure in his head how he would be able to convince him to let them stay longer than that. Rick wasn't sure about a lot of things but he knew that this farm was safe and had been remotely untouched by the plague that consumed the rest of the world. He felt that this house would ensure the safety of the group and them accidently stumbling upon it had to have been a blessing in disguise.

By midday, everyone had unloaded their things and pitched their tents, trying to remain optimistic which had gotten slightly easier when they found out they had water that was not only running, but hot. It was a simple luxery that they had nearly all forgotten about in the 6 months since the end.

Daryl had been sitting on a stump beside his tent, which he had deliberatly placed away from the rest of the group, observing silently what everyone was doing when he noticed Rick heading his way. He had his knife out, pretending to sharpen it as Rick stopped in front of him, sighing heavily before he spoke.

"I'm taking a small group into the nearest city to look for supplies. I'd really appreciate it if you would come with." Rick said to him, watching as Daryl stopped moving his hands but kept his head down.

"Who else?" Daryl spoke quietly, his deep voice coming out scratchy and barely audible.

"Glenn and Shane. The only able bodied people right now." Rick admitted, "I'd just feel a lot better with your shot."

Daryl didn't want to go, he'd rather go hunting or look for Sophia, but he knew Rick wouldn't give up until he relented. He didn't mind the sheriff, he actually respected him more than anyone else in the group, but he was often annoyed by how demanding Rick could be and how easily he seemed to persuade Daryl.

"With the four of us, we can split up and cover more ground. In and out."

"Fine." Daryl growled, though hardly sounding mean, "Five minutes."

Rick nodded and left Daryl, letting him get ready for the scavenge. Daryl didn't have anything to do that would take five minutes, he simply wanted to be alone before having to sit in a crowded car with three other men. He preferred being alone, he liked not having to worry about anyone else but himself.

It was getting more difficult the longer Daryl stayed with the group. They actually attempted conversation with him now and tried to include him in whatever group meetings they had, whether it was to eat together or just to talk. He didn't want their forced kindness towards him to make him feel uncomfortable, but hardly knowing how to care about someone, their efforts of friendship had already started to wear on him and the time he spent away from them was like a breath of fresh air.

"Dixon, you ready?" Shane called to him from the car they were taking, a small, silver four door that looked awkward with Rick in the driver's seat.

Daryl didn't particularly like Shane but he never went out of his way to pick a fight with him. At least, not anymore. He preferred not communicating with Shane in anyway. Neither of the men cared for each other and that was understood.

Daryl shouldered his cross bow and stomped over to the car, not bothering to keep the curses to himself.

"Don't know why you guys are in such a hurry." Daryl muttered, crawling into the backseat with Glenn, "We got all damn day."

Rick closed his door and started the car, "I want to make this quick. We go in, get what we need, get out. Don't want to waste any time."

"What, exactly, is it we're looking for?" Shane asked him from the passenger side, a hint of venom in his voice.

Daryl didn't understand the animosity Shane had towards his supposed best friend and he didn't want to start trying, as long as their fights and disagreements didn't include him. They got along, for the most part, but when Rick and Shane got into it, neither of them backed down and it would sometimes take hours before the fight would finally be concluded.

"Antibiotics and food, most importantly," Rick told the three men as he pulled away from the farm, "but if you find anything else that might be useful, don't hesitate to grab it. We kind of need all we can get right now."

The nearest town was about a twenty minute drive from the farm and according to the map Hershel had given Rick, it looked like a fairly small one. The doctor had explained to Rick that his daughter, Maggie, would often make trips there by horse, and it would be safe for the group of men to take what they needed without having to worry about any threats.

Rick slowed the car once he saw the town and pulled it to a stop once they were on the edge. The map didn't lie about size and he figured they could easily walk through it in less than an hour. He knew that wouldn't need to but if something happened and they had to separate, at least they would be able to find each other pretty easily or meet back at the car.

The town had one major street with stores lining the sidewalks. The street eventually led to a row of houses but Rick didn't see any reason for them to go that far. There was a pharmacy and a small hunting store, then more than a few stores that had random items and accessories.

"Daryl, Glenn, you two take the right side. Shane and I will take the left. Check out whatever places you can and meet back at the car in 30. Only take what you need." Rick instruced the two men, motioning with his head for Shane to follow him.

Daryl took the lead while Glenn, the youngest guy in the group with the exception of the two kids, stayed behind and had his back. Glenn had been the second person that risked their life to save Rick in Atlanta. Daryl thought he was an alright kid but could never form a more solid opinion about him.

"We're goin to find some more arrows." Daryl said quietly as he opened the front door to the hunting store. He wasn't surprised at all to find it unlocked.

Glenn wanted to protest and remind the older man what they were out for, but his curiosity got the better of him and he shut his mouth. He learned over time to not give your opinion to Daryl, he usually just turned it into a fight or made you feel stupid for saying anything at all.

They only spent roughly ten minutes inside the store, hitting gold when Daryl found the arrows plus some ammo for a few of the handguns. Glenn found himself a knife and traded in his old back pack for a nicer one he found by the counter. Once they were done inside, they continued moving through the other buildings. They found some canned food and beverages in, what looked like an employee break room in one of the buildings furthest from the car.

After scavenging what they could from their side of the street, Daryl and Glenn made their way back to the car, still being careful and watchful for any sudden movements. They had almost made it back to the car when Daryl saw a flick of movement from the corner of his eye. He turned and looked up into one of the buildings, squinting his eyes when he saw a hand disppear from the window and the shades move slightly.

"There's someone up there." he mumbled, hitting Glenn's arm to get his attention.

Glenn turned and looked to where Daryl's eyes were, but didn't see anything.

"C'mon." Daryl ordered, his feet already carrying him in the direction of the door.

He opened it and stood in the doorway, holding his crossbow up as he waited for Glenn to follow. He hesitated but followed the hunter closely, stepping as quietly as he could on the wood floor. Daryl saw a narrow flight of stairs leading up to an attic but stopped, holding his finger out in Glenn's face.

"Shh." he said quietly, even though Glenn swore he wasn't making any noise.

He resumed walking and made his way to the steps, wincing when he landed his foot on the bottom one and it creaked. He walked carefully, holding his weight as much as he could to stop the creaks. Glenn was behind him, tip toeing on the steps as quickly as he could.

Daryl got to the top and waited a full second before he rounded it, crossbow in hand, and scoped the room out. He saw the window he had seen the curtains move in and narrowed his eyes as he scanned the room. When he didn't see anything, he walked all the way in and allowed Glenn to step in front of him.

"Nothing here." he said, speaking as if he had been right the entire time.

Daryl scowled and lowered his crossbow for a brief second before he heard something in the other room. He raised it again and pushed past Glenn, walking briskly into the other room. He had just stepped in when he saw a movement to his left. He turned quickly, placing his finger on the trigger but before he could he had felt a pain in his knees and he had dropped to the ground.

Glenn yelled behind him and he heard a scuffle before he forced himself to stand up. He nearly tripped over Glenn on the ground as he chased after the figure that was making it's way down the stairs. He saw Shane through the doorway and when the figure got to the bottom, it turned to the right quickly and stopped. Daryl hit the bottom of the steps just behind whoever it was and was almost shocked to see that it was a girl. A young one at that.

She had a large rifle raised directly at him and to her side, he could see the bat she had knocked him down with. He kept his crossbow raised as Shane stepped in and Glenn made his way down the stairs. The girl was staring back at the men, her eyes narrowed as she held her ground. Glenn thought he recognized her but he couldn't exactly see what she looked like from all the blood and dirt she had on her face.

The girl couldn't have been much younger than Glenn, if at all, and the worn and bloody attire gave Shane the impression that she had been through a hell of a lot. He could see through the blood and dirt on her face that she had a scar ranging from the top of her right cheek bone down to the side of her jaw. It looked fairly new though it could have just been the way her face was flushed from the sudden movement. Her eyes were a dark green that seemed to darken as she stared at the men in front of her. He knew from her jerky body movements that she was scared, she just didn't want them to know it.

"You wanna lower that gun there?" Shane suggested as he took in the girl's appearance, noting how she held the gun with confidence and lacked the trembling grip that the other women back at the farm couldn't seem to shake.

She shook her head, "No."

Daryl saw her eyes flick to his before the gun faltered in her hands and she shifted the weight from one foot to the other. He saw her wince before she looked past him, eyes on the fourth man who had entered the room. The gun slowly fell from her hands to her side as her eyes softened, making her look years younger. Daryl was confused until he felt Rick push past him lightly.

"Holy shit." the girl said quietly before breaking into the most relieved smile Daryl had ever seen.

Rick and the girl stared at each other for another moment before she let out a breath and shook her head.

"Glad to see you got of that tank, sheriff." she smiled still, noticing how everyone in the room lowered their weapons as they watched what was happening.

"You're the stupidest person I've ever met in my entire life, you know that, right?" Rick finally spoke, the smile coming easily as he pulled her into a hug.


	11. Chapter 11

**Another chapter down! I'm sorry this might seem like it's moving so slow, but I promise a lot of things are going to be happening in the next few chapters. **

**What would you guys like to see happen differently than in the TV show? As I've stated before, I have no plans to kill off Shane, for now, but that may change later on.**

**Give me your thoughts! **

**Enjoy!**

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The ride back to the farm was silent, Heather and Rick having already caught up with each other for nearly 40 minutes. He asked her multiple times what she had done the three months they were apart but she kept it vague and when he asked about the fresh scar on her face, she stopped talking about the subject altogether. Rick didn't press it, knowing she would tell him when she wanted him to know.

They arrived back to the farm just a couple hours after they had left it but everyone greeted them as if they had been gone for days. Daryl didn't stick around for the warm welcome, he immediately headed for his tent, head down as he ignored the people that surrounded the car, trying to figure out who the new person was. She lingered by the car, the large group of people not something she was used to anymore.

Rick introduced her to everyone, with the exception of Lori and Carl, who were still in the bedroom, explaining how they met and how they separated. Once he finished, he noticed how she looked lost and he felt bad for bombarding her with so many people without first letting her know he was with a large group of survivors. She had told him once that she had horrible anxiety and the reason she preferred being alone was because she felt awkward in crowds.

"If you want to wash up, our host, Hershel, is allowing people to take showers." Rick told her as he motioned for her to follow him into the house, "Also, I'll have to hold onto your gun. Hershel doesn't want any weapons floating around."

Heather nodded silently as she looked around at all the people on the lawn. She could see Glenn standing by a tree, talking to the older man, who's name she couldn't remember. He had been the only other one besides Rick, who attempted to talk to her on the ride back. She figured he was just excited because he finally had someone the same age to talk to. He seemed nice enough.

"If you want to go do something, please check with me first. It's hard to keep track of everyone here but we all look out for each other." Rick was telling her while he stopped in front of a door, "Carl is probably still asleep, but I want you to meet my wife."

"Can't I take a shower first?" she asked him, grimacing when she thought about how she looked, "I'd like to make a good first impression and that might be impossible with rotten blood on my face."

Rick smiled, "That's probably a good idea."

He led her away from the room, showing her where the bathroom was and handing her a clean towel and a set of clothes Maggie had grabbed for her. She thanked him quietly and closed the door when he left, taking in a deep breath and smiling when she thought about hot water. For three months she had been constantly on the move, hiding and scavenging whenever and wherever she could. She rarely had time to even think about using whatever water she had to wash herself, it would be a waste.

She got into the shower quickly, trying not to squeal in delight when she picked up a bar of soap and started lathering it up. The water was nearly black by the time she finished, all of the dirt finally gone from her body. She felt lighter and as she dried off, she couldn't help but smile at how clean she was. Her hair had gotten considerably longer and as she dried it, she remembered why she had always kept it just at the shoulders.

When she wiped the condensation off of the mirror, her reflection froze her in her tracks. The scar on her face had been healed for a few weeks but she hadn't been able to see it clearly since the incident. She covered it with her hand and shook her head. It looked ugly. She recalled why she had avoided any mirrors and liked that she always had so much dirt on her face, the scar was barely noticible.

Heather got dressed quickly, not surprised to see how ill-fitting the Maggie's clothes were. She winced, realizing how much weight she had lost, and left the bathroom, first grabbing her dirty clothes. She exited the farm, walking to the car where she had left her bag. She shoved the clothes into the bag and swallowing the lump in her throat, ran a hand through her damp hair. Her head felt fuzzy and she knew she was overwhelmed, by her surroundings and situation. She sunk to the ground, leaning against the car, and closed her eyes, concentrating on her breathing.

She heard footsteps approaching her and when she reopened her eyes, Shane was standing in front of her, tilting his head so he could see her.

"You alright?" he asked her, his tone soft as if he wasn't sure if he was asking the right question.

"I'm fine." she nodded her head.

He hesitated before he kneeled down in front of her, looking at her as he raised his eyebrows.

"You don't look alright." he stated, shaking his head.

She squinted at him, trying to figure him out. Rick had introduced the man as his best friend and even though he had been polite and shook her hand, she could see the reluctance as he stole glances at her. He was unsure of her and though the feeling was mutual, she could tell he was the type of man who understood when to back off. At least, that was how she felt when Rick was around him.

"I'm just...having a hard time adjusting." she spoke quietly, looking away from him.

"Rick said you've been alone for awhile." Shane said.

"Since Atlanta." Heather looked back up at him, nodding.

"Well, it'll take you awhile to adjust but everyone here is pretty friendly." he smiled at her then and she felt comforted, "Glenn even talked Daryl out of his extra tent. Said he'd set up for you. Just gotta tell him where you want it."

"Thank you, Shane." she smiled back, already feeling the mild panic attack disappear.

He nodded his head again and rose to his feet, hesitating again before he turned around and walked away. She could see Glenn sitting on top of the RV, holding the tent Shane had mentioned while he talked to the old man, who was sitting next to him. She still had to find Rick and figure out what she could do around the farm to make herself useful.

She slowly looked around the yard, watching what everyone was doing and how they interacted with each other. She could very easily tell who got along with each other and who simply tolerated each other for the sake of the group. Shane, from what she observed, seemed to have problems with most of the group but the one person he avoided like the plague, had been the only one that didn't seem to fit in at all.

Daryl had left his tent, crossbow in tow as he searched for Rick. He didn't like having to report to him everytime he wanted to leave, but he couldn't see any other way to avoid the argument. Rick let him do what he wanted so long as he knew where the hunter would be.

He found Rick inside the house, sitting in the same room he had been in since he got back from town. Carl was still asleep and from the look on Lori's face, she was about to pass out as well. Daryl didn't want to waste their time so he stood in the doorway and cleared his throat. Rick looked up at him and offered a small smile, knowing Daryl wouldn't smile back.

"Goin' huntin' for a bit." he muttered under his breath, narrowing his eyes as Rick waved his hand, not bothering to wish him well.

Daryl turned around and left the house, standing on the porch as he enjoyed the slight breeze that had picked up. He saw Heather by Shane's car, rising to her feet and heading in his direction. She was a lot cleaner than she had been since he last saw her, which had been in the car, but he could tell she was still uncomfortable. He noticed the scar on her face was a lot worse than he thought. He figured that was what made her uneasy.

She kept her head down as she walked past him. He caught of whiff of whatever shampoo Maggie had let her use and he turned his head away from her. She had her hand on the door but before she opened it, she twisted back on her feet and saw Daryl's back as he took the steps quickly.

"Hey, Daryl..." she called, her voice not louder than a whisper.

He hesitantly took another step before he turned around, the sun beating down on his face. He wasn't sure if she had actually said his name but when he looked at her, she was looking right at him, frowning slightly.

"Sorry about hitting you. Earlier." she said quietly, shrugging her shoulders.

He turned back around, trying not to think about how badly his knees really did hurt, and walked away, not saying anything to her. He blamed himself for the incident, thinking that if he would have been more alert, he could have caught her before she swung. He told himself that if he had been at his peak, there would have been no way she could have hit him.

Heather didn't worry about anything as she watched him walk away, figuring since he was always by himself, he might have had social problems. It wasn't worth her time to think about why people might not like her and she could certainly care less about his opinion of her, if he even had one.

She continued on into the house, stopping at the door Rick had been eager to show her into before. The door was open and she could see the sheriff sitting on the side of the bed, his wife in the chair across from him. She looked identical to the picture Rick had shown her when they first met, though it was obvious the new world had taken quite a toll on the woman.

"Rick." Heather started, standing awkwardly in the doorway.

He turned around on the bed and smiled at her, motioning for her to enter the room. His wife looked up the young girl and faltered before she smiled as well. Heather couldn't tell if the smile was forced or genuine but because she still had her manners, she smiled back.

"Lori, this is Heather." Rick introduced them, not having to say anymore, as he had told Lori the stories numerous times before.

Heather was instantly relieved at how motherly Lori was, knowing that, like Rick, she wasn't judgemental or unreasonable. The older woman was, in fact, very friendly. She pulled up the extra chair and told Heather to sit, which she did, and within minutes, the three of them were chatting away like they had been friends for years.

Rick was surprised at how quickly Heather opened up to his wife, saying things about the mysterious three months that she had avoided with him. It was obvious that the two of them had a lot of similar qualities and to Rick, it was as if Lori was talking to her little sister.

"Have you had a chance to talk to everybody yet?" Lori asked Heather after they had gotten past the small talk.

Heather shrugged, "Kinda. Shane talked to me just a little bit ago and I apologized to Daryl for smashing his kneecaps but he didn't say anything."

Rick chuckled softly and shook his head, "You'd be lucky to get a decent conversation with him. I don't think I've heard him talk for more than a minute or two."

"What did Shane say?" Lori questioned her, her tone quiet, which confused Heather.

"Said Glenn got a tent for me. Asking if I was ok." she shrugged again, the sudden change in Lori's demeanor making her feel awkward, "I'm actually going to go get that set up."

Rick nodded, "That's fine. Carol said to find her when you're moved in. She said she'd wash your clothes for you."

Heather wanted to protest but the look on Rick's face told her she had no choice. She could already tell that Carol enjoyed mindless household activities. She had seen her sewing clothes at the picnic table by the RV just before she went inside the house.

She couldn't leave the property without telling someone and now she had someone else doing her laundry for her.

Adjusting to her new surroundings was proving a lot more difficult than she thought.


	12. Chapter 12

**Another chapter! I made this one longer for the fact that I haven't posted in a couple days. I started working on the next chapter already so I should have that one up in a day or two.  
**  
**I have a basic idea for what's going to happen, but if you guys have any ideas you want to throw my way, go right ahead! I love all the feedback I'm getting with this!**

**Thank you everyone! Enjoy!**

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Daryl had stayed out hunting until it started getting dark. He had caught a few squirrels and a single rabbit, not his best hunting trip to date but certainly not a complete failure. The small animals would feed the group for the night and he figured while he was out looking for Sophia the next day, he could round up some more animals.

He walked past the RV, not awknowledging Dale or Glenn, who greeted the hunter cheerfully, and headed to his tent. He could see Carol and Lori starting a fire on the opposite side of the RV and he figured he would have about 30 minutes to get the animals skinned before they would begin cooking dinner. He stopped at the entrance of his tent and saw that the gray and green tent he used to carry was set up further away from the other tents than his was. There was a light on inside and he had no doubt that Heather was sitting in it.

Daryl wasn't sure why he had given Glenn the tent earlier, he told himself it was to get the boy to shut up but he knew Glenn hadn't even asked him to borrow it. There was no reason to be carrying it anymore, he had given up on thinking Merle would come back a long time ago. The easiest thing for him to do was to give it to someone who actually needed it.

He released a breath of air that sounded like a sigh and continued into his tent.

Heather looked around the tent at the few belongings she had with her. Carol had given her a sleeping bag that was a bit too small but she could tell it meant a lot to her from the way she tearfully handed it over. Heather told the woman she wouldn't need it, though she knew she would, she was just trying to be polite. Carol had insisted. Rick gave her his lantern, saying Lori had one for their tent and since she had books with her, she would need it more.

The group's friendliness was something she would have to get used to, but she figured it was better than having to be alone anymore. She had talked with Glenn and Dale on top of the RV for about an hour before she got a headache and snuck away to her tent. Not being able to hold a conversation anymore frustrated her but she knew she'd eventually relearn how to be social.

After Rick had taken her guns away for keeping, Heather found that she only felt safe when her hunting knife was with her. Rick had agreed to let her hold onto it if she kept it out of sight. She had found a spot for it, tucked down into her boot. Throughout the rest of the day, she often bent over to check that it was still there, scared that it would slip out and she'd lose it.

Heather gave Carol a few articles of her clothing and some cans of fruit she had stored away in her bag. Carol smiled genuinely when she was handed the clothes though Heather wasn't sure if she was just being nice, but when she held onto the can of peaches, her face beamed and Heather could tell she was honestly happy. She left feeling better about her washing the clothes.

Heather was lying back in her tent, reading her battered copy of a school science textbook when she heard a quiet rapping against the tent fabric. She set the book down and sat up.

"Yeah?" she questioned, watching the door flap open.

Rick stuck his head in and smiled at her, his blue eyes shining through the setting sunlight.

"Dinner's ready. Go wash your hands and meet us at the picnic table." he instructed her, smiling again before he ducked out of the tent.

Heather sat in place for a moment, taking in a breath, then pushed the book to the side of the tent and climbed out, brushing off the fabric of her jeans when she rose to her feet. She was quick to run into the house and wash her hands, not wanting to disturb Hershel in whatever he might be doing. By the time she came back out, the group had slowly made their way over to the picnic table, where Carol was handing out plates with food on them. She felt herself wince when she saw a piece of squirrel on her plate, then remembered her manners and swallowed her pride.

Rick held a plate out to her and scooted over on his side so there was room for her to sit down. She thanked him quietly and made herself comfortable, hesitantly picking up her fork. She pulled a small piece of meat off of the squrrel's bones and put it in her mouth, trying to keep her face straight as she chewed on the rubbery substance. She knew she couldn't be picky about not eating meat when there wasn't a lot of food to be going around.

The group ate in silence at first, either too hungry or too stressed to worry about conversation. Nearly everyone had finished eating by the time Rick finally spoke up, laying down plans for the next day.

"We'll get three groups to spread out the search for Sophia. Any volunteers?" Rick sighed, setting down his fork as he looked around the table.

Hands raised slowly and Rick discovered that he had expected those people to raise their hands. He worked out in his head that they would need two people in each group and when he counted, he only had five people. He was about to mention the fact before Heather's hand raised and she shrugged her shoulders, a small smile on her lips as she looked at him.

"I'll go." she told him, lowering her hand.

He nodded and thanked her then turned his attention back to the table. He would be going with Glenn, Shane and Andrea would go together, and Daryl almost cursed aloud when Rick said he would be going with Heather. He figured Rick would take the girl with him.

"If you have any problems with who you're going with, come talk to me later but for now, we should call it a night." he nodded again before he stood up and started off towards the house.

He wasn't surprised when he heard Heather call his name behind him just seconds after he had left. He knew either she or Daryl would come to him.

"You could've sent me with Shane," she shook her head as he stopped and turned to her, "he at least talks to me."

Rick shook his head as well, "Shane's teaching Andrea how to shoot, I can't be gone from the farm too long and Glenn is afternoon watch, so he can't either. I'm sorry but if you want to help out, you have to go with Daryl. Just keep your mouth shut and he won't bother you. He's really not so bad to be around"

"Shane said he has anger problems." she said softly, hating how she sounded so judgemental.

"Daryl and Shane don't see eye to eye, doesn't make either of them bad people. Daryl's rough around the edges but he's a good guy and I trust him. You're going with him and that's final." his tone sharpened at the last word, ending the conversation.

Rick looked away from her, thinking he was being too harsh. He figured she would argue with him, like she normally did, but instead she stood still, keeping her mouth shut. He felt bad but he believed in what he said.

Heather wanted to object, tell him how she could go by herself if she had a map, but she knew he wouldn't change his mind. Their surroundings might have changed, but Rick was still Rick and when he made a decision, he still stuck to it. It was frustrating but she tried to keep in mind that he was only doing this for her own good. Everythign thing he did, every decision he made, he made with the interest of the group in mind.

If he couldn't look out for her, he knew Daryl would.

"You can be a real dick sometimes." she muttered, looking away from him.

She heard him laugh quietly before he exhaled and turned around to walk away.

"If you want to make yourself useful right now, come get your gun and do watch for a couple hours so Dale can get to bed early tonight. Poor guy's been doing double shifts just so I can be in here with Carl."

Heather smiled and followed him into the farm. He led her to her into the house and into the bedroom where Carl was still asleep. She wondered how long the boy would be out and when she would get to meet him. Rick was sure he would be up any day, wanting to get out of the bed. He held a lot of hope and it showed in the way he looked down at the sleeping boy.

"Just make sure you don't fire right away if you see anything. Yell for someone first." he told her, holding the gun in her direction, "We don't need weapons going off at random."

"I'm not an idiot, Rick." she reminded him, taking the gun in hand. She didn't have a lot of ammo for it left but the second Shane got his hands on it, it being his gun in the previous world, he filled it up for her and gave her the extra ammo he had. He didn't want to give it up but he already had a gun and he could see that Heather kind of knew how to use it.

"Of course not, but you've been out of civilization for quite awhile now, I'm just trying to bring you back." he told her kindly, giving her shoulder a light squeeze, "Now go on. I'll be in here if you need me for anything."

She nodded and said good night to him, then headed back out to the RV. Dale was sitting on top with Glenn, just like they had been previously. Glenn waved and smiled when he saw her, Dale smiled as well but kept the wave to himself as she climbed the ladder.

"Rick told me to relieve you from your duties for the night." she informed the older man, smiling when he let out a breath.

"Are you sure, Heather?" he asked her, though he had already stood up and made room for her to sit down, "I really don't mind doing it."

"I'm sure." she assured him, smiling again, "I don't sleep much anyway."

Dale nodded and pulled the hat off his head, then slowly made his way off the RV.

Heather sat down in the chair and pulled the gun onto her lap. Glenn was looking through a pair of binoculars and humming a song to himself. It sounded familiar but she couldn't figure out what song it was just from his hums.

"How often do you usually sit up here?" she finally asked, the silence weighing on her.

"Every couple hours we switch out. My shift is done in about an hour." he told her, letting the binoculars fall to his chest.

"Who covers for you?" she wondered, turning her head to see him.

He tried to hide a smile, "Daryl." The small ounce of pity he felt diminishing when he thought about the humor in watching the two social oddities of the group awkwardly keeping watch for the night.

She only nodded her head as she looked back to the resumed his whistling, occasionally tapping his foot to the music in his head. After awhile of silence, Glenn began feeling uncomfortable when Heather didn't speak. He hardly liked the silence when he was by himself, it seemed pointless to hang around someone else if there was no conversation going.

"So...do you know how to use that gun?" he asked her, pointing to the large gun in her lap.

She laughed and lifted it up slightly, shaking her head.

"Hardly. I snatched it from Rick's bag when I was leaving Atlanta." she told him, running her fingers along the ridges. She could aim and shoot but when it came to hitting the targets, she preferred something a little smaller.

"You know, Rick went back to Atlanta to look for you. I saw you that day, when the hoard was chasing you. That was...pretty awesome." Glenn smiled at her, noticing how she was staring intently at her hands.

She nodded her head, knowing he was just trying to keep the conversation light. She hadn't known Rick went back to look for her, not that it would've mattered, she was out of Atlanta long before he had even gotten to the camp where his family was.

"Where did you go after Atlanta?" Glenn asked her when she finally lifted her head up, still keeping her eyes straight ahead as she stared into the fields surrounding the farm land.

Heather took in a deep breath and bit the inside of her cheek, a nervous habit of hers. She didn't want to talk about it, she had tried forgetting about the time she was alone. It didn't matter now that she was with the group, but still, one of her biggest pet peeves was asking someone a question and not getting a response in return. She always made it a point to answer questions, no matter how personal, especially to strangers.

"I, uh, ran for about a day and by that time, I had gotten enough ahead of the herd to hide. Which I did, until they passed, then I just...kind of wandered and hid out wherever I could." she told him queitly, ignoring the way he continued looking at her.

Glenn wanted to ask her more, finding it interesting and exciting to have someone new to talk to, but when he opened his mouth to speak again, he saw Daryl's head peer of the side of the RV. He looked at his watch quickly and felt himself sighing.

"Time's up, Chinaman, get outta here." Daryl grumbled as he kept his head down.

He could see Glenn rise to his feet, saying good night to Heather quietly, who replied with the same courtesy, then he walked past him and climbed down the ladder, first handing the hunter the pair of binoculars he had been holding onto. Daryl stood in place for a moment, noticing how Heather didn't once turn his way, then he took a few steps to the chair that was next to her. He pulled it over a few inches, making a small gap between the two of them, then he sat down.

He had to admit he was surprised when the first hour passed and Heather still hadn't said a word to him. She had been reading from a book with a small flash light, every now and then looking up to check the area, her eyes scanning the tree lines. He found himself tilting his head slightly so he could look at her, trying to figure her out, which he realized was quite hard to do. He started getting annoyed when he saw that she even turned the book pages silently.

"Ya know, readin' in the dark makes your eyesight worse."

She didn't move, even though the sudden, deep gruff of his voice had startled her. He didn't mean to say anything but he noticed that he felt less tense after it had been stated.

"I know." she said quietly, not looking up from her book.

Daryl scowled and turned his head away from her. She wasn't bothering him or even making an attempt to speak to him, which he normally preferred, but now it was making him irritated. Everyone in the group knew not to bother him but that didn't mean they didn't try talking to him in a friendly way whenever they saw him. Heather wasn't even doing that.

He tilted his head back towards her and watched her carefully, his eyes squinting through the gray darkness. She was rubbing the back of her neck, her fingers running over a thick scar that Daryl could see even with the lack of lighting. She pulled her hair away from it and went back to reading her book in silence. Daryl found himself staring at the area where her hand had been, seeing the white line of scar tissue that disappeared underneath the collar of her shirt. It held the same characteristics as the one on her face, though she didn't seem bothered by the more hidden one.

"How'd ya get that scar?" he asked her, again shocked at his attempt to talk to her.

She turned her head and looked at him, her eyes narrowing as they eye'd each other through the dark. There was a flash of an emotion he had never seen before cross her face. It might have been anger or it could have been hurt, either way, he had asked a question that she considered inappropriate and she made sure he knew. He shifted uncomfortably in his seat, still not able to take his eyes away from hers.

She closed her book and stood up, taking her eyes away from him finally as she climbed down the RV without saying a word to him. Daryl let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding and looked through the darkness. He could see her weaving through the tents before she got to hers and entered it, leaving him alone on top of the RV. He adjusted himself in the chair and pulled the binoculars up to his eyes, peering into the trees.


	13. Chapter 13

Heather spent most of the night tossing and turning, not used to having a place to call her own, despite the fact that it was just a tent. Her thoughts seemed to wander though they never strayed far from threats and her paranoia eventually took over completely. She had taken the gun with her, forgetting to put it back in the house but she had her hunting knife clutched in her fist and she repeatedly tensed up at every sound she heard, everytime someone got up to relieve themselves.

She didn't get much sleep.

When the sun finally came up, Heather pulled on a pair of clean jeans and a plain grey t-shirt Carol had washed for her, then she crawled out of the tent. She brought the gun out with her, leaning it against the side of her tent. She leaned her head to the side, stretching the muscles that ached as she rubbed the scar lightly. She turned towards the RV and felt guilty when she saw Daryl still sitting on top, looking her way. He was quick to turn away the second she met his eyes.

The sigh that escaped past her lips was silent and she bit her tongue when she saw Rick heading her way, buttoning up the shirt he had pulled on. He looked stressed but he forced a smile and nodded at her.

"Mornin'." he greeted her kindly, coming to a halt in front of her, "I assume you'll want to eat before you head out."

Heather shrugged and shook her head, "I have some food I can take with me. I'm not really hungry right now."

Rick parted his lips to say otherwise, then thought better and simply looked to his feet. He felt the urge to baby her, to remind her that she didn't need to ration as much anymore. He wanted her to feel protected but he knew that the wall she had put up between her and everyone else was something she did to keep herself safe. She would let him back in, he knew that it would just take some time.

"Make sure you pack enough for the day. Daryl usually doesn't come back until it gets dark." he said quietly, only briefly reconsidering his decision to group them together.

Heather nodded, not liking how she felt the need to apologize for her actions the previous night when Rick mentioned the hunter. She had left him alone to do watch the entire night with nothing more than a crossbow and a pair of binoculars. She made a mental note to pack enough food for two people.

Rick turned back to the house, saying he had to see Carl before he left, then he told her to be careful. She watched as he disappeared through the doorway and into the house before she went back into her tent and grabbed her toothbrush and the remains of the tube of toothpaste she had. She brushed her teeth slowly, the lack of sleeping for once controlling her motions. By the time she was finished, she had to keep herself from yawning.

Heather stepped back out of her tent, observing how everyone got ready for their day. Daryl was no longer on the RV, having been replaced by Dale and T-Dog, the only person she hadn't yet talked to, and she could hear them talking together. Carol and Lori were cooking food, their movements were unmotivated and Heather could see the strain in Carol's face as she tried to keep conversation with Lori.

She looked down to the ground, taking in a deep breath as she thought about how kind these people had been to her, even though she had only been with them for a day. With the exception of Rick, she knew these people had been through a lot together and they cared for each other. She felt out of place and wondered if staying with them was what she wanted.

When they had first run into her, she was estatic to find more people, at first not caring if they were friendly or not. She had completely shut herself off from the outside world after Atlanta, hiding from any movement she saw. She became scared of everything. The only other group of people she had been found by, saved her from the city but left scars that were both visible, and others that weren't so visible.

She considered herself lucky for having escaped with her life though a part of her wished she hadn't. It was difficult living with the memories of what had happened and the toll it took on her mentally. She was a wreck and she realized how bad it was when she saw Rick and had to force the happiness she had imagined the whole time she wasn't with him.

She no longer felt alive.

When she finally looked back up to see what everyone else was still doing, she saw Shane walking her way. She was grateful at least he tried talking to her even if he didn't really know what to say.

"Still adjusting?" he asked her, smiling lightly.

She pursed her lips together, cursing internally whe she couldn't smile.

"Something like that." she nodded.

He bit down on his bottom lip and placed his hands on his hips, looking at her through his brow. She could tell he wanted to ask her something and her heart beat a little faster, not knowing what he could want.

"I was thinkin', that gun looks awfully big in your arms," he started, motioning to the gun she had, again forgotten to give to Rick, "I got a hand gun that would look great on you. How 'bout we trade?"

Heather hesitated, not wanting to part with the weapon she had become so attatched too. She had to agree with him though, it was heavy and bulky and the only reason she still carried it was because it looked intimidating. She could barely fire it and the few times that she did, the recoil nearly knocked her off her feet.

"Yeah," she sighed, "that's probably a good idea."

Shane's smiler got wider as he stepped around her and picked the weapon up. It looked just right when he held it. He reached behind him and pulled the handgun he had tucked away in the waist of his khakis and handed it to her. It felt small in her hands but she appreciated the friendly gesture.

"Thanks." she forced a smile this time, she imagined it looking painful as he nodded and walked away, carrying the big gun with him.

Heather watched him leave, making sure he wouldn't come back, then decided to pack the bag of food she would take with them. She turned around and released a sudden breath when she almost ran into Daryl, who was standing right behind her. He didn't smile as he looked at her, his eyes narrowed in a grimace.

"Ready?" he asked her, sholdering the crossbow he had been holding by his side.

"Gonna pack some food, then I'll be ready." she told him quietly, turning away before he could say anything.

She could see the outline of his body standing by her tent as she packed the food. He stood still while she took her time, wondering if he would say anything to get her to hurry. He sighed heavily and kicked at the dirt gently but didn't open his mouth. When she emerged from her tent, she pulled the pack onto her back, then shoved the handgun Shane had given her into the waistband of her jeans. Daryl had already begun walking and when she finally got everything situated, she followed after him.

They walked together in silence for a couple hours, communicating through Daryl's grunts and brief hand gestures. He stopped every once in awhile to shoot a squirrel with his bow or to check the forrest ground for any tracks, but they mostly just walked. Heather followed behind him quietly, watching how he looked over his shoulder often, looking at her before he quickly snapped his head back around. She didn't feel uncomfortable around him like she did with the rest of the group but she didn't quite feel at ease.

It was almost as if she was by herself.

They hadn't found anything and by midday, Daryl suggested they stop for a short break. He found a fallen log to sit on and quickly went to work cleaning his arrows and crossbow, trying to keep his eyes on his weapon as Heather moved past him, her steps faint as they touched the ground. She found a log that was away from him, the distance between them far enough to stretch her legs out.

Heather pulled her pack around, placing it to the side of her. She reached in and searched for something to snack on, smiling to herself as she found a can of pears and brought it out. She made sure any canned foods she grabbed had either a pull tab on it, or in the likely event she found one that didn't have them, she always had a can opener on her. Luckily, this can had the pull tab.

She set the can down and looked back into the bag, holding onto the last bag of jerky she had. She hesitated, still not having tried it, then pulled it out. Before she could change her mind, she cleared her throat.

"Do you want any?" she asked, her quiet voice getting Daryl's attention.

He looked up and squinted at her, confused by her question at first. He saw the bag of beef jerky and didn't miss a beat as he held his hand up, catching it when she tossed him the bag. She wasn't surprised when he still didn't say anything to her, not even a simple _thank you_.

Daryl ate the beef jerky slowly, not wanting to see what Heather was doing, though his eyes seemed to wander anyway. She was sitting cross legged on the log across from him, her fingers dipped in a can of pears. She looked silly pulling the pears out with her fingers and shoving them into her mouth, but he didn't say anything. He wasn't even sure why he was watching her. He concluded he was just curious about her and how her reclusivness seemed to mirror his own.

"Do ya want some of these?" Daryl suddenly asked her, holding up the bag of beef jerky.

She looked over at him and pressed her lips together as she shook her head.

"I don't eat meat. Thank you, though." she told him, trying to smile before she started eating her pears again.

Daryl set the bag down and narrowed his eyes at her.

"You ate my squirrel last night." he reminded her, watching how she frowned and set the can down by her.

"I was just being polite."

Daryl realized he wasn't getting irritated like he normally would in this situation. He knew he had a short temper and even someone saying too much was enough for him to blow up, but the only thing that bothered him, was not knowing what she did with her portion of squirrel meat. It was frustrating.

"Ya done yet or are ya gonna sit there all day? We got shit to do." he said, making sure he sounded annoyed as he stood up and picked up his crossbow.

Heather didn't say anything as she pulled her pack on and began following Daryl again. He walked slower this time, keeping his pace just a few steps ahead of her. She kept behind him, watching how his arms would tense as he turned to look around the woods. She noticed he always kept his eyes squinted as if he was constantly deep in thought, analyzing everything around him.

He looked back at her, slowing his footsteps as he furrowed his brow.

"I got in a car wreck." she said to him, looking away from him when he shook his head.

"What?"

She looked back up, seeing how he was still looking at her.

"I got the scar on my back from a car wreck." she repeated, quieter as he turned his eyes to the woods in front of them, nodding his head.

"That why ya limp?" he asked her.

"Yeah." she sighed, always forgetting about it, "My brother snuck me out of the hospital two days after my surgery and I never really had a chance to heal properly."

She was nervous, anticipating him to give her his opinion on the matter, but Daryl didn't ask anymore questions after that and she was grateful, not wanting him to ask about her other scar. She had just begun to heal from that whole nightmare, she didn't want to relive it again, especially not with Daryl around.

He half expected her to keep talking, wanting to share personal memories with him like everyone else seemed to want to do, but she kept her mouth shut. She ended up being so quiet, he had to keep looking behind him to make sure she was still there.

When evening rolled around, Daryl decided it was time for them to head back. It would be getting dark soon and he knew Rick would get mad if he stayed out later than that. He wasn't scared of Rick, he was just too tired to argue with anything. He felt like he hadn't accomplished anything, not being able to bring the missing girl home, but staying out in the dark wouldn't get anything done.

"Let's go back." he muttered gruffly, not waiting for her to reply before he turned back around and starting walking towards the direction of the farmhouse.

Heather turned around with him and sped up her pace, not wanting to walk behind him anymore. He twisted his head sideways and looked at how she kept her head held high and stared straight ahead as she walked beside him. She wasn't intimidated by him like most people were. It made him feel strangely normal.

It was dark by the time they made it back to the farm and even though it was past dinner, Daryl took the few squirrels he had and gave them to Carol. He figured he would get them skinned the next morning and have them ready to eat. Heather unloaded her pack in her tent and was about to go in search of Rick, when he showed up outside of her tent.

"Everything go ok?" he asked her, kneeling down so he could peek inside.

She nodded and looked up at him. He looked exhausted, stressed out and his face was paling. She felt bad, not paying attention to how much he got done around the farm. He was constantly on the move and she could tell he was still upset about Carl's predicament, though he was getting stronger by the day. Hershel gave it about another day or two before the boy would be up and walking around.

"Do you want me to take watch tonight?" she questioned, already having figured out he did it at night.

He smiled sadly and nodded his head, thankful she could read him without him saying anything.

"I would do it but Lori's having a bit of a meltdown and I'd really like to be with her tonight." he explained quietly.

"You don't need to explain yourself. I would be happy to take over for you." she smiled easily at him, watching his face relax.

"Don't hesitate to come get me if anything happens or you get too tired to stay up." he told her, his voice stern with the order.

Heather came out of her tent and took in a deep breath, standing just in front of Rick. He rose to his feet and kept his head down as he lingered. He wanted to say something to her, tell her how much he appreciated everything she had done for him and continued doing for him, but his voice caught in his throat when he saw Lori staring their way. She needed him.

"Thank you." Rick told her, reaching out and touching her shoulder lightly, "I'll even pretend I don't see the gun you're holding onto if you keep it hidden from now on."

She smiled and nodded her head, "Of course, Sheriff."

He gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze before he turned around and headed to Lori. Heather sighed as she watched him leave, still debating in her head whether she wanted to stay with the group. She realized she only felt comfortable around Rick and even Daryl wasn't stressful to be around, but she couldn't follow them around everywhere just because she didn't quite fit in with anyone else.

She was torn but she figured while she had the whole night to herself, she would contemplate her reasons and make a solid decision about whether or not she was going to stay.


	14. Chapter 14

Over the next couple of weeks, Heather made herself become a part of the group to the best of her abilities. She figured out it wasn't as easy as it sounded. She helped Carol do laundry and dishes and when dinner time rolled around, she assisted in cooking. When she wasn't helping Carol, she took part in doing watch, running into town for supplies, and often ventured into the woods - with Rick's permission - to gather nuts and berries. She felt helpful and staying busy helped keep her mind from straying negatively.

She opened up more to the group, joining in during conversations while they ate dinner, though she always got a headache after being around them for too long. It made her feel bad but she still hadn't been able to be around people in more than small doses. She would always finish her meal abruptly and duck away to sit on the RV. No one thought it was strange, they just continued with the conversation.

After awhile, Rick became aware that Heather was simply going with the motions. Carol had mentioned to him how emotionless she was when they talked together. It worried her how solemn she was still becoming, she wanted Rick to do something about it. He knew that for her safety, along with the groups, he had to talk to her.

He found her sitting on top of the RV, like usual, sharpening her knife. He wasn't sure how long she had been sitting up there but, she was wearing Dale's hat but he could see the light sunburn that had spread across her cheeks. Her unruly hair was pulled back into a bun and the binoculars were strapped around her neck. She looked over at Rick as he climbed the ladder. He pulled up the chair next to her and sat down, trying to figure out how to start the talk.

"You're worried about me." she started for him, tilting her head over to look at him.

He couldn't help but smile as he nodded his head, wondering if he was easy to read to other people. He knew she was very intuitive and she could pick up on his feelings, but he never realized how good she was at it.

"That obvious?" he shook his head, sliding his hand across his knee.

She just smiled and continued sharpening her knife, letting him find the words in his head before he spoke them. He cautiously opened his mouth, his eyes watching everyone around the lawn, not wanting to look at Heather.

"You doin' ok?" he asked her quietly, "You don't really seem...like yourself."

Heather took in a small breath and set her knife in her lap, looking ahead in the fields beyond the farm. She thought she had done well with hiding how hopeless she still felt, but just like she was able to, Rick could sense how she really felt.

"I forgot what he looks like." she said softly, turning her head to meet his eyes, "I grew up with him, saw him nearly everyday. He was my best friend and I can't even remember what he looks like. I keep thinking he's still alive out there and I'm supposed to be looking for him, but I don't know anymore."

Rick hadn't expected her to respond, knowing she didn't like talking about herself. He frowned slightly and let out a sigh. He wanted to reassure her that her ultimate goal of finding her brother wasn't lost, but she continued.

"I was close to killing myself before you showed up, Rick. I kept going because you kept me motivated. Even after I thought you didn't make it out of that tank, I kept hoping that I would somehow find my brother and we would find you and your family and everything would be alright. It's stupid, I know, but it's what kept me going." she was rambling now, knowing Rick wasn't going to judge her for what she said, "Then I found you and this group and now I don't know what to do. I still haven't found my brother and I don't think I'm going to."

She paused and looked down to her lap, "I've been through Hell just to get to this point and I've had to do most of it all by myself. I don't want to do it by myself anymore but getting attatched to you people makes things so much worse. I'm stuck."

Rick held his hands on his thighs, craning his neck so he could see her. She didn't look upset like her words would suggest, she had a blank look as she turned to meet his eyes. He was frowning and she instantly felt guilty for throwing her problems on him when he already had enough to deal with.

"I'd understand if you want to leave to look for your brother, I wouldn't blame you. I would go to the same lengths for mine." Rick told her, nodding once as he spoke to her, "But you have to know, no one here wants you to leave."

Heather tried to smile when she looked at him, wishing her father had been more like him. She knew he was looking out for her still, feeling responsible for her ending up in the situation she did. She never blamed him, telling him she would do it again even with the same results.

"You're my family now and as I'm sure you've noticed, I would risk my life for you, without a second thought." Heather didn't have to force the smile as Rick smirked, nodding his head, "As for your question, no, I'm not ok, but I'm trying to be because I know how upset you would be if I left."

"You know I'm here if you need anything. I may be busy most of the time, but I will never not listen to you if you need me to. We're family." he repeated, smiling at her again.

She felt a little better, thankful that she had at least one person still after the end of the world. Rick understood her feelings, though he may not have been sure what to say to help her, he listened and she was surprised to find that that was what she needed.

"Do you mind if I go into town in the morning?" she asked him after a moment of silence, not wanting to linger on how depressing life was, "I kind of wanted to see if the pharmacy there had any multivitamins."

Rick nodded his head, thinking to himself that it was a good idea. With their diet, he knew they would be needing all the supplements and help they could get, especially during the upcoming winter. He was still trying to convince Hershel to let them stay. The search for Sophia had waned but the old man stayed true to his word, letting them stay until they found the girl. Daryl had been the only one still going out everyday to look even though he had been running out of ideas where she could be.

"Just make sure you take someone with you. I don't want you goin' out there alone." he instructed her, taking that as his signal to get going.

"I'll be fine." she insisted, shaking her head.

"We'll talk about it in the morning."

She pressed her lips together, nodding as he rose to his feet and walked the length of the RV. He stepped down the ladder and she saw him head towards his tent, where Lori was waiting outside of it, Carl close by her side. She saw how his appearance changed instantly when he saw them, his shoulders slacked and his whole body relaxed as he leaned in to give Lori a kiss.

Heather turned her head back towards the fields, a small movement catching her eye. She pulled the binoculars up and saw Daryl emerge from the treeline, a string of rabbits and squirrels hanging off his body. She cringed and set the binoculars down, releasing a breath. She found that he wasn't the easiest person to be around, even if there were no words spoken between them, he didn't seem to mind her being around as long as she didn't say anything. He was sure to let her know anytime he wanted to be alone.

Daryl went straight to the picnic table, throwing the string of small animals in front of Carol. She thanked him, knowing he hadn't just been hunting most of the day, and watched as he turned his stare to the RV.

"She's been up there almost all day." Carol said quietly, waiting for Daryl to glare at her before he walked away, like he normally did. She was pleasantly surprised when he took in a breath and nodded his head, nothing hostile about his movements.

He spent the next hour skinning the animals he had caught, trying to ignore what Carol was saying. He couldn't keep track of what she was talking about, he wasn't sure why she was talking to him in the first place. They had never carried on a full conversation and the only time they did manage to talk, was in passing when she thanked him or he told her to leave him alone. She was obviously lonely but he had no desire to fill any voids.

After he finished skinning the animals, he went inside the house to wash his hands, taking his time with the hot water. He dried his hands off and lingered in the house, the air conditioner feeling like heaven after being outside all day. When he was satisfied, he headed back outside, frowning when he saw Rick walking towards him, determination in his step.

"Daryl." Rick greeted him, nodding his head once as they met by the foot of the front steps, "Were you goin' anywhere tomorrow?"

Daryl narrowed his eyes, "I s'pose I am now."

The look that crossed Rick's face confused Daryl, he was unsure, which seemed to be a first for him.

"Heather wanted to go into the town tomorrow and raid the pharmacy. She wants to go by herself but...I don't like that idea."

"She ain't yer kid. She can take care of herself." he muttered, "I ain't got time to babysit little girls."

"Now, you know just as well as I do that she doesn't need babysittin'. I want you to go with and help clean out the pharmacy." Rick spoke firmly, knowing Daryl didn't bother disrespecting him.

Daryl looked back to the RV, biting down on the inside of his cheek as he saw Heather stretching her legs out in front of her. He was reminded of what Carol had just earlier and used that as a way to get away from Rick.

"She best not slow me down." he grumbled before he turned around.

Heather didn't look at Daryl as he climbed on top of the RV and sat down in the chair next to her, first pulling it away from her so there was a distance between them. He stared down to her shoes, noticing there were holes that were beginning to take over the heels of both of them. He wondered how she even walked in them without the bottoms ripping off completely.

He set his hands in his lap, aware that he had forgotten his crossbow, and grimaced. Getting down to retrieve it wasn't an option, not wanting to have anyone question why he had gone up there without it. He didn't want to answer any questions so he sat still, trying not to think about how it was still sitting on the picnic table, next to where Carol was standing.

"You been out here all day?" Daryl found himself asking Heather, already knowing the answer.

"Pretty much." she sighed, nodding her head, "This weather is my favorite."

Daryl had to agree, the hotness of the summer had faded into the beginnings of a warm fall with a gentle breeze. He could only feel the breeze once he had gotten to the top of the RV, explaining why she had been up there for so long.

"Goin' with ya into town." he stated, unsure of why he was the one telling her. Rick would tell her in the morning.

She turned towards him, her eyebrows pulled down into a glare.

"Wasn't my idea." he said casually, holding his hands up in mock defense.

"I hardly thought you would volunteer." she said quietly, he could see the smile on her lips despite the unusual coldness of her tone, "Who does he expect to get food tomorrow if you're out following me around?"

Daryl smirked, she wasn't an idiot, he had to give her that.

"Are you going to be out here all night?" she asked him, turning in his direction.

He nodded, glancing at her from the corner of his eye. She held out the binoculars, rising to her feet as he reached for them. Neither of them said anything else to each other as she pulled Dale's hat off and climbed off the RV, heading to where Carol was. Daryl watched as she sat down next to his crossbow and took the plate of carrots Carol had been cutting.

When dinnertime came, everyone gathered around the picnic table, silently spreading around. Heather sat next to Rick, as she normally did, setting Daryl's crossbow on the ground next to her. She was careful with it, knowing how much Daryl liked it.

"I think we should discuss what the plans are gonna be for the next couple of days." Rick started, stabbing his fork into the chunks of rabbit that were gathered on his plate.

"Shane and I were going to check out a housing developement we saw on the map. Just a few miles from here." Andrea told him, motioning to Shane, who only nodded when the attention was brought to him.

Heather could tell he wanted to say something to Rick, but unlike any other time, he kept his mouth shut. She liked Shane, but she knew that that was going to be his downfall.

"That's a good idea, make sure you're thorough." Rick added, looking across the table to her.

She tilted her head, trying to hide the smile that appeared when she realized she could finally have a say in what she wanted to do.

"Heather and Daryl are going into town for some supplies in the morning, would anyone like to try their hand at hunting while they're out?"

Glenn looked around the table before he slowly raised his hand, setting his fork down on the table in front of him. Heather grinned and pushed the rabbit meat off of her plate and onto Rick's, knowing no one had seen her.

"I saw some animal traps in the shed, Maggie and I can go and set them up. I'm not sure how well they'll work but it's worth a try." he said, shrugging his shoulders. He could have cared less if they worked, he just wanted to find an excuse to be around her.

Rick agreed, finishing up what was on his plate. The rest of the dinner went by without any significance. Everyone was too tired to carry on a conversation and after having no luck with finding Sophia, spirits weren't exactly sky high.

Heather waited for everyone to start dispersing from the table before she finished her meal and stood up as well, taking the empty plate to where Carol was collecting them. She saw that there was one plate sitting out with food on it still. She looked back to the RV and sighed.

"I was going to take that up to Daryl, I just haven't had a chance yet." Carol smiled timidly at Heather, taking the empty plate from her.

"I'll take it up there. He doesn't have his bow anyway." she offered, reaching out to take the plate in her hand.

Carol looked like she wanted to object but stopped herself short and instead smiled at her, though she could tell it wasn't genuine. Heather nodded and turned around, reaching for the crossbow that was where she had left it. She hoisted it over her shoulder, grimacing at how heavy it actually was, then headed for the RV.

It was awkard climbing up, having to hold onto the plate in one hand, but she managed to make it. Daryl was looking her way, his right eye closed completely from the setting sun. She handed him his plate then set the crossbow down by his feet. He didn't say anything.

"Can I sit up here with you?" she asked him quietly, not wanting to admit that the RV was the only place she liked being.

He looked up at her and squinted, sizing her up. She felt tense under his gaze but when she moved her eyes to his, he instantly looked away.

"Can you keep yer mouth shut?" he questioned, only half joking.

She nodded, smiling at him as she sat down.

She stayed on top of the RV with him the entire night.

She didn't say a word.

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**Sorry it took so long for this one! I had some more planned for this but after typing it all out together, it was too long and drawn out. So next chapter has all the action in it!**


	15. Chapter 15

**So sorry for the delay! I got super busy at work and didn't have time to finish this until today.**

**Anyway, I hope you enjoy!**

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When the sun finally rose, Daryl sat up straighter in his chair and cleared his throat. They had gone the entire night in silence, both enjoying the night without the worry of anything troubling nearby. Daryl had drifted off to sleep a few times, never more than 10 minutes at a time, but Heather didn't dare wake him.

"When did you want to head out?" Heather finally spoke, watching as Daryl's lips cracked into a small smile.

"Get somethin' ta eat first, then we'll hit the road." he replied, tilting his head to look at her.

She was leaning forward in her chair, staring intently at the atlas of Georgia she had retrieved from her tent hours before. He didn't realize he had fallen asleep until he woke up and she had brought up her flashlight and a few books that she continued reading the rest of the night.

"Where did you guys find me?" she asked him, lifting her head up to face him.

He shrugged slightly and sniffed, slumping his body back down into the uncomfortable chair.

"'Bout 30 miles west of here."

She nodded and looked back down to the atlas, moving her finger along the page slowly until it stopped. There were tons of small towns surrounding the one she had camped out in, it was just a matter of having the time and gas to run through them. The closest town after that, was roughly 40 miles to the east of them. It would take just under an hour to get there and since it was bigger than the other town, Heather figured they would have more luck finding supplies.

She pointed to the name on the map, lifting it up so Daryl could see. He listened to what she thought, thinking it wasn't such a bad idea, then shrugged again. Even if it was a good idea, the decision would ultimately be Rick's and Daryl knew getting permission wouldn't be easy.

"What do you think?" she wondered, setting the book back down onto her lap.

Daryl wasn't sure what to say, he wasn't used to people asking for his opinion.

"You wanna ask Rick, be my guest." he mumbled.

She nodded and closed the atlas, taking in a small breath before she stood up and stretched her arms over her head. Daryl looked away, scanning the treelines briefly. He didn't know what he was looking for, something to keep his eyes away from her. When he eventually stopped concentrating on whatever might be in the woods, he noticed that Heather had already gotten down from the RV and was walking in the direction of Rick's tent. She had taken the atlas with her.

Rick wasn't in his tent and after looking around the campsite, Heather saw that he also wasn't anywhere outside. She thought about going inside to look for him but gave up on the idea, not knowing if she was supposed to just walk in or if she had to knock. It was too stressful to think about so she headed back to her own tent to dress and get ready for the day.

Eventually, Rick found her.

"Daryl said you wanted to ask me about something." he stated, peering into her tent as she pulled her socks on.

She pursed her lips together, "I did, actually."

She looked past Rick to the RV and saw Daryl looking over at them, smirking.

Rick watched as she pulled the atlas out and opened it, pointing a page. He kneeled down and looked at the page, taking in a deep breath as he figured out what she was getting at. She began to explain and when she mentioned it being a different town, even further away, Rick immediately shook his head.

"I only agreed to let you go into town because we've been there before. We know it's all clear and I don't have to worry about what kinds of trouble you two could get into." Rick said as she closed the atlas.

She looked up at him, "You're letting Shane and Andrea go to a housing developement neither have been to before."

He stared at her, his face set as he realized she was right.

"You seem to forget who I'm going with, Rick. Don't try to use that as an excuse when you know I'm better off than they are."

Rick stood up, not wanting to admit defeat. Heather stood as well, having to tilt her head back to look up at him.

"I'm sorry, but I'm going, Rick. You don't need to worry about me, I'll be fine." she assured him, reaching out to pat his chest before she walked past him, atlas and backpack in hand.

Rick stood in spot for another moment, exhaling heavily as he shook his head. She was right, as usual and it left him feeling too paranoid. It was obvious she could take care of herself, especially if Daryl was with her, so why was he still worried? He kept thinking about what Daryl had said and it still bothered him. He knew Heather wasn't his kid and he knew he could never take that place. But no matter how he tried reasoning with himself, he couldn't stop worrying about her.

He had gone to sleep with a sick feeling in his stomach, not knowing why, but his gut was telling him something wasn't right. Instantly, his mind went to the scouting groups he was sending out, thinking it had something to do with any of them. Lori spent nearly the whole night trying to calm him down and when he woke up the next morning, it was weighing on him twice as hard.

She would be fine.

Heather sat down at the picnic table, taking the plate of food Glenn handed to her. She ate quickly, wanting to leave as soon as possible so they could spend the entirety of the day searching for anything they would need in the upcoming months.

When she finished, she took her plate to Carol and grabbed her backpack, sighing when she noticed she had forgotten her bat. The handgun Shane had given her would come in handy, but she wanted her bat. She headed back to her tent, not the least bit surprised when Shane saw her and waved at her to get her attenton. Sighing, she turned direction and walked over to him.

"Rick said ya guys were headin' to a different town." Shane stated, lowering his eyebrows to make sure he got the information correct. When Heather nodded, he continued, "You should take my car, it's quieter and if you run into trouble, it's fast so you can get out of there faster."

He reached into his pocket and pulled out the keys, handing them to her. She took them in her hand and looked at them, touched by the small gesture. He was smiling at her, leaning his weight against his car.

"But what car will you and Andrea take? You guys don't have many working cars." she questioned, looping the keyring around her finger before she clenched her hand around them tightly, not wanting to loose them.

"Carol said we could take her car, she don't use it anyway."

"You sure?" she asked him, narrowing her eyes in uncertainty. Shane had always been friendly towards her and she had never questioned it, but he had never offered up something as big as his own car.

"Absolutely." he nodded, his smile fading, "You just be careful out there, hear me?"

She nodded, noticing how he looked past her to the man who shouldered his crossbow, then she got why he was being friendlier than normal. Rick had always said Daryl and Shane didn't get along, for reasons no one understood. Neither of them trusted each other.

She smiled at him, watching as he tilted his head then smiled back.

"Thank you." she said quietly, looking down at the keys before she turned around.

Daryl was waiting by the blue truck they had originally decided to take, kicking at the dirt on the ground as he held on tightly to his crossbow. There was a look of annoyance on his face as he saw Heather walking to where he was, frustrated that Rick couldn't trust her enough to let her go by herself. Or why he couldn't have sent Glenn with her. The asian boy was good at getting out of tough situations, with the two of them, it seemed like they couldn't be stopped.

But Daryl knew why Rick had chosen him to go with her.

He had figured out during the night that she liked being alone just like he did and she preffered the quiet just as much. Despite how he feined anger the previous night when Rick had come to him with the favor, he understood that the only reason the sheriff came to him in the first place was because he wouldn't abandon her if something happened. Rick put his trust in Daryl being there with him because he couldn't go himself.

It put a lot of pressure on Daryl but he tried to hide the burden of her responsibility by acting out in irritation that instead came off as anger. It didn't seem to bother Heather as she walked up to him, holding out a set of keys for him to see.

"Shane wants us to take his car." she told him, looking up at him.

He never thought he was very tall but she had to tilt her head completely up to meet his eyes. The smile she gave him reminded him that she was still so young. It made him feel weird, wondering how she managed to smile so happily after what she'd gone through. No one else smiled like she did and from what he understood, she had endured the worst of it.

His eyes trailed to her scar, running up and down the length of it. She was always vague about it and it made him even more curious. There was already dirt smeared on it and he suddenly felt the urge to reach up and wipe it away. He held his hand in place, noticing how she turned away from him, hiding the scar again.

"Can we go?" she sounded offended and he realized she knew he was looking at her scar.

Daryl reached out and snatched the keys from her hand, pushing past her.

"Yer the one takin' forever." he growled, letting out a deep breath.

Heather followed after him, her bat dragging behind her. She opened the backdoor to Shane's car, tossing in her backpack and the bag of food Carol had packed for the both of them. There was enough for the entire day but if they happened to run into trouble and they rationed their food, it would last them a couple of days. She hoped they wouldn't have to ration it.

Neither of them said goodbye to anyone, everyone knew they were leaving, saying goodbye would just waste time. Rick had sucked up his pride and gave Heather a small smile, watching how she smiled back before she climbed into the passenger side. Daryl got in and started the car, immediately rolling down the windows as he adjusted the seat.

Heather held the atlas out on her lap while they drove in mostly silence, the only sound was when she would tell him when he had to turn. The drive took just under an hour as she had expected and she grew anxious as he slowed the car to a reasonable speed so they could look to see if there was any immediate danger.

"We should park the car away from where we're going." she suggested, leaning forward in the seat so she could see out of the windshield.

Daryl glanced at her, his eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"So we can enter the town without bringing any attention to ourselves." she explained, shaking her head.

He didn't say anything, mentally cursing himself for not catching onto it.

He pulled the car to the side of the road, putting it into park before he turned it off. Heather was the first to get out, quickly walking around to the back of the car where she pulled out her backpack and bat. Daryl got out after her, taking his time as he opened the door to the backseat, then grabbed his crossbow and hoisted it onto his shoulder. He waited patiently for her to get situated before he motioned with his head for her to follow him.

They crept into town quietly, there footsteps barely making any noise as they held their weapons up, ready for anything that might come their way. Daryl took out the first walker they saw, getting a direct hit between the eyes. Heather saw the second one just a few feet away from the first one, but only having her bat, knife and handgun, she figured it would be easier to let Daryl get them from the distance they were at.

They made it to where the now dead corpses were lying on the ground, pools of black blood surrounding them. The first one Daryl had gotten looked fresh and it didn't put Heather at ease as he leaned down and pulled the arrows out of the heads, wiping them off on his pants before reattatching them to the crossbow.

"Should we split up?" she asked him, touching the knife on the side of her thigh, checking to make sure it was still there.

Daryl stood up straight and squinted, looking down the street into the small town. He shook his head and turned back to her. If anything happened to her because he agreed to split up, Rick would have his head.

"We go together." he stated, motioning again with his head.

She followed behind him slowly, scanning the opposite side of the street that he was looking at. There was a rustle just to the left of her and when she turned, she saw a walker coming from behind a dumpster that had been pushed into the street. It growled when it saw her, baring it's rotten and stumped teeth as he tried running to her. She couldn't stop the smile as the walker stumbled and fell to the ground.

Daryl turned back in time to see Heather smash her baseball bat down onto the walker's head, splitting the skull open and killing it for good. She looked pleased with herself until she saw Daryl was still eyeing her. The smile faded and she continued following him.

The town was mostly abandoned, though she hadn't expected it to be booming with people, she at least thought there would be more walkers around. The three they knocked off seemed to be all that inhabited the town. It was unreal but she considered it lucky, giving them time to go through the town to get what they needed. Shane's car wouldn't be able to fit a whole lot of stuff, but at least they would be able to start.

"Where did ya wanna go? We ain't gotta search the whole place." Daryl asked her once they got to what felt like the middle of the buildings.

Heather turned and looked at the names of the some of the stores, trying to think quickly of what they would need. They were standing by a shoe store and a bakery that was missing it's windows. There were some offices and what looked like a bank, neither things would be useful.

"We should find the pharmacy." she said quietly, watching him nod before he started walking again.

She walked behind him, looking at the names of all the buildings they passed. It wasn't too much bigger than the other town that was close to the farm, but it was more updated and she hoped the pharmacy would be bigger.

"There a reason you wanna get to this place so bad?" Daryl questioned as they turned a corner, bringing the pharmacy into view.

"Vitamins, mostly." she answered, "Our diets aren't going to be very good during the winter. Vitamins will help."

He nodded and lowered his crossbow, slowing his step to match hers as they walked together. They stopped outside of the building, not being able to see in through the windows, noting there were shades. Neither of them heard any sound on the inside and from that, they decided to check it out.

Daryl went first, holding his arm out and pushing Heather behind him. She noticed how he jerked his arm away from her when she nearly lost her balance and had to use him as her support. His face flushed a light red and he avoided her stare.

He checked the door, shaking his head when he saw it was still unlocked. Taking in a deep breath, he pushed it open and pulled his crossbow up, scanning the room with his eyes. There was no movement so he lowered his bow, stepping aside to let Heather step in behind him. She walked past him, turning her body so she didn't have to touch him, and headed for the shelves of pills behind the counter.

Daryl stayed by the doorway, keeping lookout as she grabbed empty pill bottle and began filling them with certain pills she found. Once she labeled them, she put them in her back pack and started working on the pills that were already packaged.

"Daryl, come help me." she said to him, looking in his direction.

He hesitated, narrowing his eyes as he let out his breath and walked over to her. She handed him a plastic bag that contained a few bottles of nyquil and advil. He took it from her and held onto the bag as she continued shoving bottles into it.

Once the bag grew heavy, he set his crossbow on the counter beside him, using both of his hands to hold it open. He wanted to complain about it, wondering why she spent so much time finding things she wasn't sure they would even need, but he kept his mouth shut. He watched her look at bottles, reading them with interest and think about it before she decided to take them.

The bag was almost filled when she stopped suddenly and looked up at him.

"What?" he wondered, keeping his voice low.

"I thought I heard something." she told him, rising to her feet slowly.

They stood completely still, meeting each other's eyes as they waited. Daryl had just begun to take in another breath when he heard a crash in the room that was to the right of them. He set the bag down on the counter and grabbed his crossbow. Heather had already dropped her bag and lifted the bat in her hands, taking cautious steps to the closed door. She rested her hand on it and looked back at Daryl, waiting for his approval. He thought he should take the lead and go in first but from the look on her face, she wasn't worried about what could be in there. He figured it was just a walker so he nodded his head and watched her twist the doorknob.

He wasn't prepared.

The door swung open and before he could take another step, Daryl heard the roar of a gun. Heather stood still in front of him, which confused him until he saw the bat drop from her grip and hit the ground beside her. She looked down at herself and Daryl ran forward, barely catching her in his arms as she crumpled to the ground.


	16. Chapter 16

**Wow! This chapter turned out to be a lot longer than I originally planned. I had waaay more I wanted to put in but after seeing it was this long already, I figured the rest would have to wait. **

**I'll have the next chapter up in a few days so for now, enjoy this one!**

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There was blood everywhere.

Daryl pulled Heather away from the doorway, leaning her against the side of the wall quickly before he lifted his crossbow up and peered back into the room. A single man was frantically trying to reload his gun, the stray bullets falling around his feet as he looked up at Daryl. He was scared, the fear visible on his face when he saw the crossbow pointed directly at him.

"Put it down." Daryl spoke through gritted teeth, his heart racing as he shook his head.

The man ignored him, continuing to place bullets into the magazine he had placed between his legs. Daryl looked over to Heather, noting how the blood was still falling onto the hand she held cupped beneath the wound on her shoulder. Her eyes were clamped shut but he could see the pain in her tense expression.

He turned back to the open room, sucking in a breath before he pulled the trigger, landing an arrow above the man's elbow. He screamed out and dropped everything he had been holding, giving Daryl the opportunity to walk into the room and kick it away from him.

The man instantly tried fighting him, despite the arrow that stunted the movement in his arm. He kicked and swung at Daryl who reacted by bringing his bow down on the assailant's head. There was a deafening crack and the man fell back, a line of blood appearing on his forehead. He thought for a second, then raised his crossbow again, firing an arrow into the man's head.

He saw no reason to take anymore chances.

Heather's body was trembling when he kneeled beside her, pushing her hand away so he could look at the damage. He stuck his hand out, hesitating before he touched her shoulder. She winced when he tried to gently pull the neck of her shirt away, needing to find where the bullet had entered. The blood was flowing steadily from a small hole just below her collarbone, explaining why her arm was held uselessly at her side.

"Need ta check if it went through." he muttered, pulling his blood covered hands away from her.

She closed her eyes and used her good arm to brace herself before she attempted to push herself forward. Daryl saw her struggle and frowned, then stretched his hands out to her and grasped her shoulders, slowly pulling her to him. She leaned against him, her forehead resting against the front of his neck as he awkwardly held her up with one arm. He reached around with the other and felt her shoulderblades, trying to find an exit wound.

When he found none, he carefully leaned her back against the wall.

"Bullet's still in." he told her quietly, watching her nod.

"Are you able to pull it out?" she questioned, her quiet voice shaking as she tried to keep the pain out of it.

Daryl considered it briefly before he shook his head, reaching out and wrapping his hand around her forearm.

"Nah, we need to get ya to Hershel." he stated.

She nodded and twisted her arm, her fingers holding onto Daryl's elbow as he pulled her to her feet slowly. He kept his grip on her arm as she limped beside him, taking baby steps towards the front door. They had just made it to the door when she stopped and began shaking her head.

"We need to grab the bags." she said, "I put a bunch of painkillers in them."

Daryl let out an irritated sigh and nodded, knowing she was right to want to grab them.

"I'll grab 'em." he offered, pulling on her arm again.

He led her back to the counters, helping her sit back down before he jumped over them and snatched up the bags they had dropped. After slinging her backpack onto his back and holding onto his crossbow, he realized he would have to make two trips to get her to the car safely.

He hopped back over the counters and kneeled back down beside her. She turned her head to him, her eyes drooping as she forced herself to swallow the lump in her throat. Blood was splattered up her neck and along her face, making it obvious how pale she was getting by the second.

"Hafta run all this back to the car but I can't take ya with right now." he began explaining to her, watching her eyes soften as shook her head. He was cut short by the frightened expression that took over her face.

"Please don't." she said quietly, leaning forward, "I can go on my own."

She tried pushing herself forward, using whatever strength she had left to rise to her feet. He saw her struggled before he gently pushed back on her shoulder and shook his head at her.

"I just gotta run this to the car, then I'm gonna come get you." he told her, trying to keep his voice calm.

An array of emotions crossed her face before she nodded. He nodded as well, taking in a breath as he swung Heather's backpack around, setting it on the ground in front of him. He pulled her gun out, first checking to make sure it was loaded before he handed it to her.

"Sit tight." he said quietly as he readjusted the bag and rose to his feet, holding his crossbow out in front of him.

"Daryl," Heather choked in pain, getting his attention. He looked down at her and felt his stomach drop when he saw tears forming in her eyes, "Please don't leave me here."

"I ain't gonna leave you here." he promised her, putting every ounce of reassurance into his voice.

She nodded again and tried to smile before she gripped the gun in her good arm. Daryl turned around and exited the pharmacy, holding onto his crossbow tightly as he started running back to the car. He hadn't realized how far he had parked until he found himself retracing his steps more than ten minutes later.

He was becoming increasingly panicked, his speed increasing when he thought of Heather bleeding out in that abandoned pharmacy. He was given one job by Rick, to get in and out as quickly as possible and Rick didn't have to say it out loud for Daryl to know he was also supposed to keep her safe. It only seemed right for him to blame himself for her getting shot. If he would have gone in before her, like he had originally wanted, she would have never gotten shot. He was confident in his own hand to believe he would have shot the guy before that guy even had a chance to pull his own trigger.

Daryl finally got to the car, quickly opening the trunk before he shoved in the bags. He slammed the door shut and took a step to start running, then stopped and looked back at the car. He wondered how far he would be able to drive it into the town, remembering that most of the streets he had run down had been littered with all sorts of random items. Bikes, a few park benches and even some cars. He got in anyway and starting driving the car forward, trying to get as close to the pharmacy as possible. He only got a few blocks before he couldn't go any further without having to get out and move things, so he continued back on foot.

He was about a block away when he heard a gun go off and Heather started screaming his name. He ran faster, his heart racing when he shook his head in disbelief. He thought her getting shot would be the worst of what they would have to go through.

Daryl slammed into the pharmacy door, pushing it open as he raised his crossbow up again. Heather was underneath a walker, her legs kicking at it as she tried pushing it away with her right arm, her left arm lying helplessly beside her. The gun was lying next to her, just out of reach. Daryl ran towards her, trying to find a good angle to shoot that wouldn't somehow end up injuring her anymore. When the arrow finally released, he let out a breath he had been holding, hearing Heather's gasps as she heaved the walker's body off her.

Daryl hurried over to her, helping her to a sitting position. Her face was streaked with blood, dirt and the few tears she had shed during the debacle. Her body was shaking violently.

"Did it get ya?" he asked her quietly, his voice wavering with the fear of that being true.

She shook her head and brought the gun to her hand again, gripping it tightly. Daryl noticed her breathing was beginning to become sporadic and she seemed to be losing her stability. He became worried when he used his hand to tilt her head up so she was looking at him and he saw her eyelids flutter.

"C'mon now, we got a long way to go still an' I'm not carryin' ya all the way back there." he ordered her, his panic returning when her eyes closed and she didn't say anything.

He looked around, cringing at how much of her blood had stained both the floor and the walls of the pharmacy. He needed to get her back to the farm as soon as possible if she was going to live.

"Heather," he said gently, shaking her lightly, "stay awake."

He heard her take in a deep breath as she cracked her eyelids, looking at him through her thick lashes. She moved by Daryl, holding onto his arm as he helped her to her feet again. They walked together as quickly as they could manage, Daryl's bow up at eye level as he moved his stare down the street. He was worried that more walkers would have heard her gunshot.

Heather had trouble walking steadily, her limp mixed with the loss of blood was making her head spin. Her hand was just lightly grasping onto Daryl's bicep as he walked in front of her, his own hand wrapped completely around her forearm. She tried tightening her grip as her vision started going black but the second she squeezed, her eyelids closed and she fell forward.

Daryl was quick to catch her in his arms, sliding his crossbow onto his back as he slid his arms around her, looping her good arm around his neck and picked her up, leaning her head against his shoulder. She was light, hardly heavier than his crossbow. He made a mental note to make her eat meat when she woke up.

He was able to keep a steady jog while holding her without having to worry about jostling her too much. He kept looking down at her as he ran, scared that she was losing too much blood and he wasn't going fast enough. His heart was racing and the fear of Rick's wrath wasn't far from his thoughts. He was sure he would be blamed for the incident and he knew that if Heather died, Rick wouldn't forget about it and he certainly wouldn't forgive him. Daryl concluded that he may as well be banned from the group if that happened.

Daryl wasn't sure how long he had been running but his side began hurting and the faster he tried to run, the more intense the pain was. He pushed through it, not needing to be reminded why he was hurrying. The blood covering his clothes was enough for him.

By the time he finally spotted the car, he was almost passing out from the stitch in his side. He rushed to the car in one final burst of speed, using his knee to support her body while he used an arm to open the door to the backseat. He placed her body in the car, running around on the other side to stretch her legs out along the seat before he laid her on her back, gingerly setting her bad arm by her side.

Once he got her adjusted, he closed the doors and got into the driver's seat, starting the car quickly before he even tried to catch his breath. His breathing was labored as he put the car into reverse and turned the car around.

He drove as fast as he could, his foot pressed all the way down on the gas. After driving towards the town, Daryl knew he would have about 20 miles of bare highway, so speeding didn't concern him. He glanced at Heather through the mirror, hoping she would open her eyes or at least give him some sort of sign she was alive. He hadn't had the balls to check her pulse, scared of what the result would be.

Reaching his arm into the backseat, he felt around for her good hand, which had fallen off the seat and was now lying on the ground. He grabbed her wrist and took a breath before he felt for her pulse, a sigh of relief passing through his nose when he found a very light beating. He had just begun to pull his hand back up when he felt her hand move in his. She turned her hand around and held onto his thumb. He thought about pulling away but when he looked in the mirror again and saw the blood that had stained the car seats, his guilt came back and he squeezed her hand lightly.

Her grip was completely lost when the farm was in sight.

Daryl sped the car up once again, pulling his hand away from her's. He noticed how the sun was getting ready to set, meaning they had been gone the entirety of the day. He wasn't aware that much time had passed and it scared him to think she had been bleeding for a majority of the day.

He saw Rick and Shane by the fencing, pacing along the perimeter of the farm. Rick stopped pacing when Shane's car came into view and he could only see Daryl in the front seat. His heart dropped, his gut feeling coming back.

Daryl stopped the car just before them, quickly getting out of the car. Rick noticed the blood that covered the hunter's body right away.

"Daryl, what happened?" Rick called, watching as he pulled open the back door.

He began running forward, only stopping when he heard a sharp cry of pain and saw Daryl pull Heather's body out, lifting it into his arms before he turned towards the house. Shane stared in shock as Daryl pushed past him, ignoring Rick's questions behind him. He couldn't stop and explain to them. He had to keep going.

"Daryl?" Rick yelled again, running to keep steady beside him.

"She got shot." he answered, not waiting to see the man's reaction.

Rick stopped in his tracks and tried to calm his breathing, watching as Daryl continued running with her limp body in his arms. She seemed so frail and broken. They were both drenched in blood.

"We need Hershel!" Shane called as he ran ahead of Daryl, holding the farm door open from him.

Hershel came out of his kitchen and looked in disbelief at the sight unfolding before his eyes. Daryl was holding onto her body as if she was a sacred article from God, his eyes wide as he stared at Hershel.

"Follow me." Hershel ordered, motioning for the guys to follow him.

Lori had been in the bathroom, washing her hands to get ready for dinner when she opened the door in time for her to see her husband rushing past her, running into the spare bedroom before Daryl followed behind him. She instantly covered her mouth when she saw what Daryl was holding onto, shocked at how much blood trailed behind them and when she peeked her head into the room, she saw Daryl gently lay Heather's body down on the white sheets, staining them with her gore.

"I need room. Daryl, what happened?" Hershel asked him as he began pulling her shirt out of the way.

Daryl looked away from her, trying to control his breathing as he spoke to Hershel, knowing Rick and Shane were in the room as well, staring at him. Shane was glaring at him, wondering how she could have possibly gotten that injured.

"Town was clear, we went into the pharmacy and she heard a noise. There was a guy in the backroom, I didn't see 'im." Daryl explained quietly, trying to keep his eyes away from where her body was lying in the middle of the bed.

He didn't bother mentioning the walker that nearly got her when he left her alone. It would just add to the grief.

"Who was it?" Rick asked, sliding onto the bed next to Heather, his hands shaking as he looked down at her.

"Dunno. Killed 'im." he said calmly, his eyes catching Rick's.

Rick nodded once, turning his attention back to where Hershel was standing. The old man was lightly pressing cotton balls against the bloody wound, trying to clean up whatever mess he could so he knew how deep the bullet was.

"Is she going to be ok?" Rick asked Hershel so quietly, Daryl almost thought he had made it up.

"Rick, I need you to let me work. She won't be ok if you don't get out of the way." Hershel said in a calm voice, watching as Rick lifted himself from the bed and stepped over to where Daryl was.

Daryl wanted to say something but was cut off when they heard Heather take in a strangled breath. He looked over at her and saw that her eyes were open and her body was shaking. Rick was instantly back at her side, taking her hand in his.

"Rick." she choked, her eyes frantically looking around the room.

"I'm right here," he assured her, using his free hand to brush her bloody hair off of her face, "It's ok. Hershel's cleaning you up."

Daryl saw her lips move wordlessly and Rick bent down, leaning his ear by her mouth. When he lifted his head back up, he turned to Daryl, his eyebrows narrowed. He didn't know what Heather had said and from the look on Rick's face, he wasn't sure he wanted to know.

"Rick," Hershel said again, concern hard in his voice, "I need to take the bullet out. It needs to be done now so we can stitch it up or she will bleed out."

At this, Heather began shaking her head, begging them not to do it. Daryl felt a jolt of anger in his stomach, but for what reason, he wasn't sure.

"You've had to do this before." Rick reminded him, pressing his lips together when he remembered his own son lying in the very bed she was in, just a few weeks ago. It was unreal to him.

"Lori," Hershel called her over, noticing that she was still standing in the doorway, her hands covering her mouth.

Lori walked over to the bed, listening as Hershel told her she would need to help get her shirt off so he could have enough room to clean the wound before he pulled the bullet out. Lori nodded and turned back to Rick, who was still sitting next to Heather, holding onto her hand tightly.

"You boys can leave the room," Hershel told them, looking specifically at Daryl, "I'll call you back in when I need your help."

Daryl stood in place, watching as Rick slowly rose to his feet, hesitantly letting go of Heather's hand before he turned around. He walked by Daryl, placing his hand out the man's shoulder to pull him out with him. They stepped into the hall, the silence deafening to Daryl as he leaned against the wall, his composure slipping as he thought about Heather not waking up again.

He brought his hand up to his mouth, ready to bite down on his nail like he did everytime he got nervous or started thinking too much. He was stopped suddenly when he realized he was still covered in blood. In _her_ blood. It was all over his hands, already darkened and dried, crusting under his fingernails. He turned his hands over and felt sick, the guilt thick in his body as his eyes moved down to the front of his shirt. It used to be dirty from the sweat and grime of the day but now, like his hands, it was heavy with blood.

His breathing sped up slightly and he looked up, realizing Rick and Shane were both eyeing him carefully, ready for him to snap. Rick was more understanding, his own face pale from the trauma they were going through. Daryl felt sick seeing Rick worry over someone who wasn't blood, knowing that no matter what happened, he would still be held accountable for her.

"Thank you." Rick whispered harshly, shaking his head as he looked at Daryl.

Daryl didn't say anything, not knowing why he was being thanked. It seemed like a joke.

"She wanted me to thank you." Rick went on, letting out a breath, "for not leaving her."

"Hell, he barely brought her back at all." Shane scoffed from beside Rick, shaking his head.

Daryl wanted to react, jump at Shane and let all of his anger out in a fit of rage but when he stepped forward, Rick held his arm out.

"That's enough." he said quietly, leaning his head down as he rubbed the crease between his eyebrows.

He lifted his head back up when the bedroom door opened and Lori stuck her head out. She had been crying and though her tears were now silent, Rick could see the struggle she had trying to hold them back.

"She won't let him pull it out." she said, holding her shoulders up into a shrug as she looked down to her feet.

Rick sighed and tried to see the lighter side to the situation; at least she was ok enough to be stubborn. He pushed himself off the wall and walked forward, intending on going into the room until Daryl stepped in front of him, his face cast downward.

"I'll go." he said quietly, turning around before Rick could protest.

He walked past Lori, waiting until she stepped out of the room before he closed the door. He lingered by the doorway, not realizing what he had gotten himself into until he saw Heather lying on her side, the blanket pulled up to her chest as Hershel sat on the bed next to her. He could see that her shirt had been removed and he was immediately embarrassed, wincing as he tilted his head away.

He walked over to the bed when Hershel looked up at him, avoiding the man's stare as he sat on the opposite side of Heather. She was facing him, her hands holding onto the blanket tightly in her fingers.

"Where's Rick?" she asked him quietly, lifting her eyes up to his.

"Sent me." he lied, clearing his throat as he looked away from her.

"Why?"

Daryl sighed in frustration, shaking his head. He regretted coming into the room. He only wanted to make up for what happened to her, not spend the night answering her questions that she was asking simply to stall.

"Cause he knows I ain't gonna be nice 'bout it." he said angrily, "Now roll over an' quit bein' a baby."

He saw her lips crack into a small smile before she took in a breath and slowly rolled onto her back, moving her good arm in his direction. He stared at it for a moment, not understanding what she was doing.

"You took the place of Rick so you have to hold my hand." she told him, closing her eyes and taking in a deep breath.

Daryl looked to Hershel, who was too busy pulling on a pair of gloves to notice the conversation between the two of them. Or if he did, he was good at ignoring the fact. He sighed again and took her hand, feeling her grasp it tightly when Hershel said he was ready.

Hershel counted to 3, giving Heather a second to gather herself before he poured some alcohol onto the wound and got to work. The tears started almost right away but she kept her sobbing silent as she held onto his hand tightly. He felt awkward holding it but the longer it took Hershel to pull the bullet out, the tighter he began holding her hand back.

Daryl was surprised at how calm she was throughout the minor surgery, not even opening her eyes. The pain was clear on her face as she bit down on her lip, trying to hold back a scream he figured she had been holding onto all day. He found that once he set his eyes on her, he couldn't look away even if Hershel was just inches away from them. He wished he could have been able to prevent this from happening to her.

Once Hershel finally got the bullet out, more blood had spilled from the wound and it was now covering the pillows she was lying on. Daryl reached over her body and grabbed the cloth that was next to Hershel, balling it up in his fast before he wiped at the fresh blood on her neck. She opened her eyes and turned her head away as Hershel stitched her up.

He pulled his bloody gloves off and grabbed two white pills from the nightstand, holding them out in her direction. She reluctantly let go of Daryl's hand, noticing how he didn't pull away from her first, and took the pills from him. Daryl helped her sit up, using an arm to keep the blanket wrapped around her as she tilted her head back and put the pills in her mouth. She swallowed some water and carefully laid back down.

"Just get some rest," Hershel told her as he rose to his feet, "We'll worry about cleaning this up tomorrow."

Daryl watched him leave the room, closing the door behind him. He stayed sitting though his anxiety was sky high when he saw that they were alone in the room together. It wasn't a comfortable feeling.

"You don't have to stay in here." Heather told him softly, noticing his discomfort.

"I know." he muttered, standing up from the bed.

He saw an armchair sitting in the corner of the room and he pulled it closer to the bed. He sat down in it and kept his eyes down, not wanting to see the drying blood that surrounded Heather. It made him feel like shit.

She remained silent for a few minutes though he could still feel her eyes watching him. He looked up and saw her yawn before she smiled at him and closed her eyes. It wasn't long before she was asleep.


	17. Chapter 17

**So sorry for the delay! I promise I'll have the next chapter up in just a few days!  
**  
**Thank you everyone who's been reading and reviewing this story! I really appreciate your feedback.**

**Enjoy!**

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Rick made the decision to go back into the town Heather and Daryl had gone to, determined to find out either who the guy was or if he had other people waiting around for him. It made him nervous to think about other people being with the man, knowing him alone was dangerous. He had to be reasonable and accept the fact that other people were an option and they most likely weren't going to be friendly.

Daryl would be going back with him, already having been through the town, he knew where exactly the pharmacy was. Glenn and T-Dog would also be accompanying him, needing the backup just in case something went down. Shane chose to stay back at the farm after a heated argument with Rick about the importance of keeping the bulk of their strength where it was needed most; at the farm. Rick, naturally, disagreed, leaving Shane in a huff.

Heather had slept through the entire night, only waking when she tried rolling onto her back and she hit her freshly stitched wound. Her body was sore and it took her almost 20 minutes to get out of the bed. Daryl had stayed in the room until the sun came up, which was when he had switched places with Rick, who only sat with her long enough to think of his plan. He had left the room once he had the idea, not thinking about what would happen when she woke up. Hershel had made it clear that she needed to be watched so she wouldn't accidently rip her stitches.

She got dressed, discovering that putting a shirt on with one hand was difficult than it looked. She then made her way to the bathroom, careful to not look in the mirror as she cleaned up the blood on her arms the best she could. Her shoulder throbbed but she found that as long as she kept it angled and didn't move it much, the pain was avoidable.

After she got herself cleaned up, she went back into the bedroom and looked at the sheets. They were painted in her blood, the paleness of the sheets looking heavy with dirt. She frowned, feeling bad for probably ruining Hershel's sheets.

She walked over to the bed and grabbed the corners with her good arm, pulling them off the bed. It took her a few minutes to get them off and even though she could see the blood had soaked through to the mattress, she felt better about them not being on the bed at all. She bundled them up in her arm and headed to the stairs, intent on getting the sheets into the wash.

Maggie was in the kitchen, setting the table for lunch when she saw Heather making her way down the stairs, the dirty sheets in her arms. She immediately dropped what she was holding and ran over to the injured woman, holding her arm out for support as she yanked the sheets from Heather.

"You shouldn't be up right now. You could hurt yourself." Maggie scolded her, helping her step over to a chair that was by the table.

"No point in spending the whole day inside. There's stuff that needs to be done." Heather said, smiling as she took a seat in the chair.

"No." Maggie replied, "Rick gave me strict orders to keep you inside so you can heal properly."

Heather's smile disappeared and was replaced by another frown, "Rick isn't my father."

"You're right, but he doesn't seem to realize this." Maggie smiled this time, "I've realized that questioning Rick only makes matters more difficult. Well...in your case, dangerous."

Heather agreed, nodding her head slightly as she looked to the ground.

"My dad's around here somewhere, you might want to go have him look at your arm before you even think about leaving the house." Maggie told her, "If there's any problems later, I didn't see you leave."

She was grinning, her cheeks turning a faint pink before she turned away and headed to the laundry room. Heather liked Maggie though the two hadn't talked too much, their conversations were always friendly and Maggie was always sure to keep the talks short and to the point.

Heather sat down in the chair for a minute longer, summoning up the strength to stand before she rose and slowly made her way around the house, looking for Hershel. She found him on the front porch, the Bible lying in his lap as he read from the pages quietly. He was enjoying the sun and the gentle breeze that instantly put Heather at ease.

He looked up from his page and smiled when he saw her.

"You're up already." he closed the book and stood up, "Let's get you inside so I can change your bandages."

Heather followed him back into the house, sitting back down in the chair she had been sitting in before. Hershel left the room for a few minutes, grabbing his medical supplies, then pulled up a chair in front of her. She sat still as he removed the bloody bandages that were plastered over the wound and gently cleaned it using a cotton ball and some rubbing alcohol. It stung but she held her composure.

When he was finished, he rebandaged it and handed her a grey sling he had found from when Beth broke her arm a few years ago. He figured it wouldn't do much for the wound itself but at least she could keep her arm stationary. She pulled the sling on and smiled when she could relax her arm and let the sling do it's job.

"You're good to go, just be careful with it." Hershel instructed her, "No heavy lifting, as I'm sure you've already discovered."

"I wouldn't worry about that, I can't do much lifting with one arm anyway." Heather smiled still, watching as the old man smiled back before he stood up and nodded his head at her.

"Just be careful." he repeated before going back out onto the porch.

WDWDWDWDWD

Daryl led the way to the pharmacy, his crossbow drawn with steady arms as he scanned the streets for any loose walkers they might come across. There was a thin trail of blood that made a line straight to the doors. He felt sick following it, remembering how broken Heather had felt in his arms the previous day.

It still felt like his fault.

He stepped past the doors and held his crossbow in the direction of the backroom, waiting until the other three men had made their way into the building. They seemed to take their time, which irritated Daryl but he held his tongue, finding no reason to start an argument. Glenn's stomach nearly gave way at the sight of all the blood covering the white linoleum floor; he gagged and looked to Rick apologetically.

"He's back there." Daryl stated, moving his head in the direction of the back room.

Rick nodded and stepped in front of the man, raising his gun as he cautiously walked back. He peered into through the doorway and lowered his gun, finding the man lying on the ground, an arrow protruding from his forehead. It smelled sour and Rick curled his lip in discontent.

"What are we looking for?" Glenn asked Rick, taking his stance beside him.

Rick felt himself shrug before he turned towards the younger man.

"I don't exactly know but I feel like we should figure out who this guy is and if there's more people around here."

Daryl nodded his head, lowering his bow.

"There is." he stated, squinting as he looked around the room.

"How do you know?" T Dog asked, carefully stepping around the fallen man's body.

"Ain't no guns by him." Daryl said simply, thinking back to how the man had dropped all of his ammunition on the ground surrounding his feet; there was none now as the four men stood in the room.

"So what now?" Glenn questioned. He had only agreed to go with them because Rick stated it would be another "in-out" run, the only dangerous activity he liked partaking in anymore.

"We search the town," Rick nodded, "someone came in here and grabbed this guy's weapon, we need to find where these people are."

Daryl huffed; agrivated. He wanted to get back to the farm. Strangely, he felt nervous when he thought about Heather being back there by herself. It wasn't a feeling he was used to and he had to swallow the bitterness before it began to consume him.

He didn't want to feel.

"Well let's get to it then." he growled, turning his back on the men.

They all followed him out into the street, waiting for Rick's instructions on what to do next. The way he saw it, they could split up and cover the more hidden parts of the town; the alleys and basements, or they could all search together; which would take them all day. The longer they stayed in the town, the less time Daryl would have to go hunting or to search for Sophia.

Rick let out a sigh when he thought about which decision he would have to make.

"We'll split up, look around. Be brief but as thorough as you can. I don't want to be here all day." Rick told the men, taking in a breath as he tapped Daryl's arm, motioning for him to follow.

The two men walked together in silence, neither wanting to confront the situation head on. Daryl could sense Rick wanted to say something to him and while he thought he knew what that something was going to be, he wasn't prepared to have a conversation with him. His guilt was already thick enough without Rick adding his own opinion to the matter.

"Why're we really out here, Rick?" Daryl suddenly asked, surprising himself with his own actions.

Rick almost stopped, his footing lingering before he continued, keeping his head held high.

"I thought that might have been her brother." Rick said, his voice quiet as he avoided Daryl's questioning eyes.

"She saw 'im. Think she woulda said somethin' if it was her brother." he muttered under his breath though he knew Rick could hear him.

"Unless the shock of her getting shot somehow drew her attention away from the shooter." Rick responded, his voice cold as they still walked together. Daryl could hear the frustration in his voice.

He didn't say anything else as they finished their rounds, Rick shaking his head when they came up empty handed. Whoever had taken the gun and ammo from the dead man hadn't bothered to stick around. It seemed obvious that the man had been alone and had made a regretable decision that ultimately cost him his life. It didn't comfort Rick, knowing his reaction would have been the same as Daryl's if he were in that situation.

"C'mon, let's head back." Rick sighed, accepting defeat.

Daryl took another look around before he nodded and followed Rick back to the car.

WDWDWDWDWD

Heather leaned forward, reaching out to unzip the flap to her tent. She was seated on the ground, her blanket balled up around her. After trying to help Lori and Andrea fold the laundry Carol had washed, she finally felt the strain in her arm and she had to rest. The women weren't upset and they felt bad when Heather apologized to them, feeling bad herself for not being able to help more.

She opened the thin piece of material that separated her from the outside world and found herself face to face with Shane, who was crouched down, waiting for her to answer.

"Can I talk to you for a minute?" he asked her, his eyes looking at her through his browline.

She nodded as she pushed herself back into her tent, letting Shane crawl in after her. He sat down across from her, trying to get comfortable as he carefully manuvered around the maps and books she had strewn across the floor.

"Why do you need all of these?" he looked at the different maps she had, most of them from Georgia while the others were for surrounding states. There were pen marks all over the Georgia ones.

"I'm looking for my brother." she told him, folding the maps up and stacking them into a pile by her blanket.

Shane nodded, licking his lips before he opened his mouth, bringing up the reason he had come to her in the first place.

"I have a favor to ask of you." he started, watching as she narrowed her eyes at that statement, "I need you to talk to Rick."

"About what?" she asked, pressing her lips together.

He smiled and looked to the floor of her tent, not prepared for the conversation he had hardly been willing to begin.

"He doesn't understand how important it is to keep this place fortified. He keeps sending people out to look for that little girl and we all know that's a lost cause. If you just...talk to him. Try to make him understand."

Heather nodded once, chewing on her bottom lip nervously. She didn't know why he was coming to her with this request.

"What makes you think I can convince him, even if I believe what you're saying? Why can't you ask Lori?" she countered, watching as he frowned at the sound of her name, his eyes softening just slightly.

"Nah, he'll listen to you. Trust me. Rick loves his wife but she still hasn't figured out how to control him. You seem to have a pretty good grasp on that." Shane spoke clearly, his eyes stuck on hers as he spoke.

She didn't speak for a moment, turning words over in her head as she debated on what to say next. He was right, in so many ways; Rick always gave in so easily to her requests even after trying so hard to stay stubborn. She never realized it until Shane mentioned it.

"When Rick first met up with Lori after he got out of Atlanta, he only stayed one night before he went back looking for you. He used Merle Dixon as his excuse, but we all knew why he really went back. Lori begged him to stay but...he couldn't leave you behind." Shane continued, waiting for some sort of reaction from Heather, "He spent weeks trying to find her and the second he does, he doesn't even celebrate, he just leaves right away. Now, you can't tell me he won't listen to you over his own wife. I've given you all the proof you need."

Heather nodded, not happy about the suddenly awkward feeling she had in her gut, "I'll talk to him but only because he needs to stay here with his family."

Shane grinned, nodding as well. He was surprised at how easy it was to convince her. Using guilt wasn't how he wanted to do it, but he felt like he didn't have any other choice.

"Who's Merle anyway?" Heather asked him, trying to change the subject so she wouldn't have to think about how her relationship with Rick might look to his wife. It didn't make her feel good.

"Daryl's brother. Rick handcuffed the bastard to a pipe and left him there." Shane explained to her.

"Doesn't sound like something Rick would do." she said, shaking her head.

Shane smiled again, "You never met Merle. He brought out the worst in people. Left Rick with no choice."

"Did they ever find him?"

He shook his head, "No, he cut off his hand. They never found him."

Heather winced, Glenn had mentioned going back to Atlanta but he had left out the part about Merle. She realized that her and Daryl had another thing in common and she felt bad, wondering how close the two brothers were.

Shane hesitated another minute before he crawled back out of the tent, holding the flap open when he saw Heather push herself forward. He took her forearm and helped her to her feet, holding onto it as she emerged from the tent. He only let go when he heard the car pull up.

Heather watched as the men got out of the car, noticing how Daryl looked their way and his eyes passed over hers, locking on for a split second before he looked away. She could've sworn he glared at Shane before turned around and headed to his tent.


	18. Chapter 18

**So sorry for another delay! I had so many different things I wanted to do with this chapter but finally settled on something. This is all Daryl and Heather.**

**Feedback is always appreciated!**

**Enjoy!**

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The remainder of the bright and sunny afternoon turned cloudy once evening rolled around. Daryl could smell the rain coming, allowing himself to smile briefly when he thought of the humidity leaving long enough for a cool shower. The group hardley used the shower inside the farm, not wanting to waste the water when they could easily scrub down with a cloth and a bucket of water when they felt dirty. Daryl hadn't even used the shower or the bucket method since they'd been at the farm, he saw no point since he was constantly outside during the day anyway. Needless to say, he wasn't the cleanest in the group.

By the time the sun was getting ready to set, the storm clouds began growing darker, not giving the sun a chance to disappear before it got dark. The wind picked up slightly and Daryl saw the group rushing to get their possessions inside their tents before the rain fell. He looked down at the crossbow in his lap and contemplated taking it inside his own tent and opting for a weapon that could handle the water better. He talked himself out of it after only a few seconds, telling himself he couldn't trust any other weapon like he could his bow, dry or otherwise.

Heather had spent most of the day trying to help around the camp though Rick had tried numerous times to get her to relax and give her shoulder a chance to heal. She didn't have to explain to him how she hated being waited on and preferred to do things for herself; he knew this already. She still didn't know how she was supposed to bring up the topic Shane had provided her with earlier in the day, not wanting to upset Rick anymore than she needed to. It was a sensitive subject because she knew Rick felt partly responsible for the little girl going missing in the first place, no matter what anyone else said to him.

Daryl had been sitting on top of the RV, the one place Heather couldn't get to with her arm in a sling, when she finally saw him climbing down the ladder. She felt a strong impulse to go talk to him but the look he had given her when they had first gotten back from town kept her in one place, unsure of how she should even approach him. She felt his eyes on her throughout the day and whenever she would turn to find out it was him, he would quickly look away.

He hesitated a moment once his feet hit the ground, noticing how Heather was sitting by herself on a chair she had set up away from the camp. He was irritated she hadn't listened to what Rick said when he told her to she needed to rest, he couldn't imagine her injury feeling great after only a day of healing. But still, she continued doing everything Rick asked her not to, which only irritated Daryl even more.

Before he could stop himself, his feet began carrying him in her direction. He huffed as he walked, not knowing what he was even going to say to her. He knew he wouldn't have to say anything to her and she would accept his company as she had done the few times before. He nearly stopped when he found himself wondering if she would get upset about him being around her, aware that she enjoyed being by herself.

She heard him approaching, the shuffling of shoes giving away who it was right away. He stood by her chair and set his crossbow down on the ground, sliding down next to it as he crossed his legs, not saying a word. She remained quiet for a bit longer, letting him sink into some sort of comfortability before she spoke.

"What're you doing?" she asked him, tilting her head to glance at him.

Daryl was looking straight ahead, as she had been, his eyes narrowed as he swallowed. He turned to look at her and saw that she was smiling lightly.

"Why aren't you inside?" he ignored her question, looking away from her.

"I didn't want to waste the day laying in bed." she replied, her voice soft.

Daryl felt himself smile slightly before he turned back to her.

"You'd rather be out in this heat, lettin' your wound fester than inside, lying in that bed? I don't believe that." Daryl shook his head, nervously messing with the frayed edges of his shirt. He wasn't sure he was so nervous but his hands wouldn't stop shaking.

"If I had stayed in that bed a minute longer, I would've never left." she was grinning now and Daryl felt his own smile curl into a smirk.

They lapsed into another bout of silence, the most comfortable they could attain while in each other's presense. Heather kept her eyes ahead, watching how the clouds rolled above the treelines quickly, the storm just minutes away. She had been waiting the length of the day for even just a drop of rain.

"Did you stay with me all night?" Heather asked Daryl suddenly, not knowing why the question had escaped past her lips.

"No." he answered quickly, too quickly.

He had.

His nose twitched as he took in a deep breath, beginning to feel uncomfortable as he thought about why she asked him. He didn't want to know why he stayed with her and her asking, only made him question his actions even more.

"You should get inside. Rain might fuck up your dressing." Daryl said quietly, pointing to the patch of gauze that already had a small tint of red leaking through it.

Heather shook her head, "No, I'm waiting for it to rain. You can go on though."

Daryl thought about leaving briefly before he shook his head, knowing she couldn't see, and adjusted his footing so he was leaning forward. He had been waiting for the rain probably as long as she had.

"It's settled then," Heather spoke quietly, the smile evident as she rose from the chair, "In it til it rains."

Daryl watched as she folded the chair and set it aside, then took a seat on the ground next to him. He noticed how she kept space between them but stayed close enough for him to reach out and touch her without straining too much, if he wanted.

He shook his head again, sitting up straighter as he brought his thumb to his mouth, biting down on the bit of nail he managed to miss in his earlier attempt to appear preoccupied. Heather stretched her legs out in front of her, twisting her ankles to pop the joints before she crossed them, her knee barely touching his. He looked down at them and tried to move his knee without her realizing what he was doing. If she could tell, she didn't let him know.

A rumble of thunder echoed through the sky and Heather turned to look at Daryl, smiling. He thought she looked like a child, her smile so wide, her cheeks were tinged a light pink.

"How much longer until it starts?" she asked him, raising her eyebrows as he narrowed his own.

"Why're ya askin' me?" he questioned.

He heard her release a breath that could've passed as a laugh.

"C'mon Daryl, you were born to be outdoors. You know how to determine when rains going to fall."

"Couple minutes." he smiled enough for her to see before he looked away, "Gonna start sprinklin' here any second."

Daryl saw her look up to the sky, nodding her head, waiting for him to be right.

He couldn't remember the last time he had smiled so much, it made him anxious. Normally, smiling never came easy, no matter what the circumstance, but Daryl found that the more time he forced himself to be around Heather, the easier was for him. He couldn't say he tolerated her like he did everyone else in the group, tolerating seemed like the wrong word. She was different from the rest of the group yet so familiar to him. She hardly annoyed him like other people did, in fact, the only time she annoyed him, was when he wasn't around her.

His stomach dropped as he came to that realization, suddenly finding it hard to breath correctly. Leave it to him to find someone who didn't bother him at the worst possible time for any sort of connection.

He felt the first raindrop hit his arm.

"Shane wants me to convince Rick to call off the search for that little girl." Heather said quietly, holding her hand out.

Daryl tried not to let his anger let loose when she mentioned Shane, not catching onto the rest of the sentence right away. He bit down on the inside of his cheek and took in a deep, shaky breath.

"You gonna?" he asked.

She shrugged and held her palm out, smiling when a raindrop landed in the center.

"Rick's sure she's still out there. I don't want to upset him." she spoke, her head tilted slightly as she looked at him.

"Course she is. I'm gonna find her." Daryl was sure of himself and Heather could hear it in his voice.

She nodded, "You're probably right."

"Why would ya do anythin' for him anyway?" the question came out before he could even try to mask the hint of jealousy he had been trying to ignore.

Heather hesitated, unsure of how to answer. She didn't know why she had agreed to help Shane, other than her own beliefs that the girl was long gone. She would never admit it to Daryl, who had spent so much time looking for her. She didn't want to break anyone's spirits.

"He thinks Rick will listen to me." she told him, leaning her head back once the sprinkles began falling steadily.

_Of course he will._ Daryl thought to himself, shaking his head. He was surprised he hadn't found a reason to get mad at her even though her suggestion was reason enough. Anyone else, and he would've blown up in their face, yelled at them, told them they were being stupid. But her...he felt guilt for the action he couldn't bring himself to do. It frustrated him.

He let his knee drop back down, touching hers lightly as he ran a hand over his face, dirt and grime coming off onto his hand as he pulled it away. He turned and looked at Heather, who was smiling back at him.

"Look at that," she muttered so quietly, she might have been talking to herself, "you clean up nicely."

Daryl turned away quickly, feeling his cheeks flame up from the compliment. He wanted nothing more than to cover his face in dirt again and not have her look at him the way she was. He thought she was making fun of him.

She wasn't. Actually, she was mildly amused with herself when she realized she found Daryl attractive. Without the dirt and grime covering his face, he appeared younger and not so rough around the edges.

"Can I go with you tomorrow? When you go hunting?" Heather asked him, trying to make him feel less awkward.

He shook his head at first and when he turned to look at her, she was nodding. Instantly, the guilt came flooding back when he saw her bandage was now covered in rain and blood.

"If ya clean up that mess," Daryl said, pointing to the bandage, "I'll think about it."

She looked back at him and smiled, the rain having completely soaked both of them, her hair was plastered to her head, her ponytail hanging limp at the nape of her neck. Her green eyes were practically glowing and he had to force himself to look away.

"We'd better get inside then, before the lightening decides to find us." she joked, leaning back into her good arm as she pushed herself off the ground.

She held her hand out in Daryl's direction, meaning to help him off the ground. He stared at it briefly before he shook his head and grabbed it in his own, trying not to think about how his hand swallowed hers. He let go of it the second he was back on his feet and when he leaned down to pick up his crossbow, he saw that she was already making her way to her tent.

He stood in place for a moment, watching her carefully step around branches and woodchips that were on the ground, noticing how she was barefoot. He thought about following her, but ended up walking to his tent.

Once he was inside, he sat in his wet clothing and thought about how he suddenly wanted someone to talk to. Never been one to converse with anyone, this feeling was new to him and he had to take his boots off to stop himself from going back out into the storm and finding Heather.

He was still trying to convince himself that he stayed around her because he felt responsible for her injury but it was obvious she blamed him for nothing. Maybe she enjoyed his company as much he enjoyed hers.

He would find out.


	19. Chapter 19

Heather awoke the next morning slowly, groggily. It occurred to her that something wasn't right as soon as she sat up; her throat was swollen and sore, the burden of swallowing nearly bringing her to tears. She took in a breath and felt the light fever course through her bones, the result of sleeping in damp clothes during an unpleasantly chilly night. It was easier to keep the wet clothes on than try to remove them with one hand.

She crawled out of her tent, using her free hand to straighten out her hair as she tried to appear healthier than she felt. The sun had just begun to rise, making it around 6 in the morning. The only people moving around the camp were Shane, who was standing by the RV, his way of taking watch, and Carol, who was beginning to prepare breakfast for the rest of the camp.

Carol greeted her quietly as she made her way to the picnic table, taking a seat as she looked up at the older woman.

"You feelin' ok?" the woman asked Heather, her timid voice full of concern only a mother could show.

Heather tried to smile as she nodded.

"Just a little under the weather."

Carol reached her hand out and gently pressed it against Heather's forehead, pulling it back as she frowned deeply. Heather found it hard to be around Carol after realizing that she reminded her of her own mother. It put a lump in her throat and she had to force it back.

"You're running a fever. I'm sure we have some aspirin around here somewhere." Carol told her, setting down the plates she was holding as she looked over into the few coolers they had lying around.

"It's fine, really," Heather insisted, holding her hand up, "I grabbed a bunch of antibiotics from the pharmacy the other day. When Rick wakes up, I'll just ask him where they are. It's not a big deal."

Carol hesitated before she nodded and smiled at her, keeping whatever thoughts she had then to herself. After taking another look at Heather, she turned around and resumed her preparations. Heather watched her as she peeled a few potatoes, quietly humming to herself. She looked at peace whenever she was cooking or doing other household chores, Heather thought it was strange. She never questioned it though, knowing that Carol was timid for a reason.

Heather felt her head begin to throb, the onset of a headache irritating her as she leaned her head against the picnic table. She buried her face in her good arm, silently praying for the pain to pass. After a few minutes, she heard a pair of feet walking near her, then the bench next to her moved and there was someone next to her. She lifted her head slowly, expecting to see Shane, then smiled lightly when she saw Daryl sitting next to her, his eyes cast down to her.

"Ya look like shit." he muttered, trying to keep his smile hidden as she narrowed her eyebrows.

"Got a fever." she sighed, closing her eyes as she laid her head back down in the crook of her arm.

He felt a short wave of relief, a part of him not even wanting her to go with him. It passed quickly and he looked away from her, his hands fidgeting on top of the picnic table. He figured he could at least scour the area on the opposite side of the creek for Sophia, not having been past it before. The tracks had disappeared long ago but he still felt the urge to look.

Carol smiled at him as if she could read his mind, knowing exactly what he planned to do, to which he nodded his head, not offering a smile back. The woman's kindness towards him made him feel obligated to react to, though he did as vaguely as possible.

Daryl took in a breath and turned his head back down, his eyes losing their edge when he saw Heather looking back at him. Her face was pale and when she tried to smile, Daryl thought she looked pained.

He cleared his throat.

"Stay here." he said, "Ya can go another time."

He expected her to object, for which he was ready to argue, but she just nodded.

"Do you know where you're going?" Heather asked him, lifting her head up as her eyebrows creased in pain.

Daryl shrugged, moving his hand to his mouth. He bit down on the skin by his nail, using that as a distraction, anything to keep his gaze away from her.

"I have some maps of the area if you want to take a look or take it with you." she offered, swinging herself around on the bench so she had a leg on either side, facing him. She was smiling at him again.

He thought about it for a second, trying to find a way to accept without sounding too eager. She reached out and touched his arm, feeling him flinch away from her hand as he looked away from her. He hadn't meant to move so drastically but her gesture was so sudden, he had no time to prepare for it.

He cleared his throat again and balled his fists, keeping his head turned away from her. She was silent for a moment, letting him regain his composure, before she stood up. He didn't turn around as she spoke.

"I'll be in my tent if you want them." she said, her voice low enough so only he could hear it.

He kept his head down, hearing her walk away, feeling the weight of his guilt when he looked up to see Carol frowning at him.

"What?" he questioned coldly, rising to his feet quickly and leaving before she could tell him what she thought. He didn't give a damn about her opinion anyway.

Heather sat down on the blanket inside her tent, stretching her feet out in front of her as she slowly removed the sling from her arm. She straightened it, feeling the pull of nerves around the now closed wound, wincing at the slight pain. Her fingers trembled while she took the bandage off, the cool air hitting it at once. The area around the wound, about an inch in either way, had bruised considerably and she could still feel the sore muscle in her back.

She cleaned it up the best she could, trying her best not to touch the stitches though they itched, and started re bandaging it. She stopped when she heard footsteps coming closer to her tent. They were heavy and when they passed, she could hear Daryl just feet away, getting into his own tent.

She wasn't sure why his reaction had bothered her so much, she knew he didn't like being touched or even being around people but when he had hesitated in answering her, she felt that a friendly gesture wasn't uncalled for. He, apparently, had thought otherwise. She left simply because she didn't' want him to not be comfortable around her.

After she bandaged herself up, she slowly exited her tent, paying extra close attention to the way her arm bent, noticing that the edges of her wound were raw and if she kept messing with it, it was bound to get infected. There was plenty of antibiotics but she always had the worst time getting rid of infections.

Heather saw that nearly everyone around the camp was up and moving around, the only missing person being Daryl and herself. She spotted Rick sitting in the chair she had used the previous night, having pulled it up to the front of the house, he was holding onto his gun. She paused in her steps, wanting to eat breakfast despite the sick feeling she still had in here stomach, then changed her mind at the last minute and headed to where Rick was. He greeted her quietly, forcing a weak smile in her direction. Something had happened to him during the night.

"Mornin' Sheriff." she smiled, tilting her head at him when he pressed his lips together, "Doing ok?"

He lifted his head and forced another small smile before he nodded, not wanting to burden her with his problems.

"Care if I sit down with you?" she asked him, pointing to the stairs he had conveniently placed his chair next to. He accepted, as she thought he would, and she sat down, just inches from him.

"Carol said you weren't feeling too well today." he stated, his southern drawl sounding tired and stressed.

Heather turned and saw he was looking down to the gun in his hands, distance growing in his eyes. She frowned, his hand no longer containing the wedding ring he had never taken off since she'd known him.

"Fever." she said softly, biting down on the inside of her cheek as she turned her head away, "What happened?"

Rick sighed deeply, lifting a hand to his forehead as he worked out his wording. He had found Lori outside before the storm, vomit on the ground in front of her. He wasn't stupid, he knew what happened.

"Lori's pregnant." he told her, his voice coming out ragged.

Heather swallowed, not turning to look at him. She was aware of the dangers Rick was in now that his wife was bringing a new life into the world. It was dangerous for all of them.

"What are you going to do?" she asked him, looking down into her lap.

Rick shrugged, shaking his head. He didn't even know where to start. He wasn't prepared for her to tell him she was not only pregnant, but she wasn't sure who's baby it was. It killed Rick to hear her say Shane's name.

"What else can I do?" he wondered, "the decision is already made."

Heather nodded, suddenly wanting to get away. She didn't want to tell him how she really felt, it would only crush the poor man even more. She couldn't do that to him.

"I'm sorry," Heather told him, finally turning to look at him, "I know it doesn't help anything, but I am sorry."

He was staring into the campsite, his jaw set when he saw Lori. An anger he hadn't even felt before crept into his bones. He released a breath and looked at her.

"What's done is done." he shrugged again, trying again to smile.

Heather smiled back, hers looking less pained and more enthusiastic despite the fever that was now ravaging her. She looked away from him, seeing that there was still more he wasn't telling her. Whatever he wanted to say, was cut short by Daryl walking over to where they were, his crossbow in hand.

"Gonna go look for Sophia." he stated, looking at Rick.

"You ok to go by yourself?" Rick asked, already knowing Daryl was capable of taking care of himself.

"Better by myself." Daryl answered, nodding his head, "Gonna take one of Hershel's horses and scout across the ravine. Shouldn't take but a few hours."

"Sounds good to me." Rick nodded.

Daryl took in a breath, squinting his eyes before he turned to Heather.

"Ya got those maps?" he asked her.

She looked over to Rick and placed her hand on his shoulder, nodding at him as he smiled at her again. He lapsed back into silence before she rose to her feet and walked past Daryl, slowing her step until she heard him following her.

She crawled into her tent and gathered the small pile of maps and atlases she had, placing the Georgia atlas on top of the pile. She had gotten most of the maps from gas stations she raided in the months she was by herself, using whatever resources she had to try and figure out where she had and hadn't been.

Daryl lingered by the entryway of her tent, only his legs were visible from the flap. Heather sighed and sat back, flipping the atlas open to the region they were in.

"You going to come look?" she asked him, forcing irritation in her voice.

She heard Daryl sigh, his weight shifting from one foot to the other before he kneeled down and peeked his head inside. He looked unsure and she had to motion to assure him he could come in.

He adjusted himself on the ground in front of her, taking the atlas she handed him.

"We're here," she pointed to a circled area on the map.

Daryl nodded and looked around on the page, memorizing where landmarks were before he held it back out to her. She took it from him and closed it.

"What're all these marks for?" he asked her, pointing to a map she had scribbled all over.

"I was marking the places I've been." she told him, pulling it out so he could see.

Some cities were circled while others were crossed out in big red X's. Atlanta was crossed out. He figured those places were overrun by the dead. Most of the page was red.

Daryl sighed again.

"You can take this with you, if you want." she said, holding out the atlas again.

He nearly declined before he realized she was just trying to help him. He wasn't used to anyone wanting to help him or even attempt but here she was, always wanting to help.

"I'll bring it back." he said quietly, taking it from her with a gentle nod.

Heather watched him roll the atlas up in his hand, glancing at her briefly before he turned around and exited her tent. She remained seated for a moment until she noticed he was still standing in front of her tent, his feet shifting back and forth. She crawled out of the tent, wincing when she felt the stitches pull as she pushed herself forward.

Daryl reached down and grabbed her good arm, pulling her to her feet in one swift jerk. She was surprised at how gentle the act was regardless of how rough the action was.

He let go of her arm, keeping his face turned away from her. She looked up at him, seeing how, even though his face had been cleaned just the night before, it was already dirty. As if he had done it on purpose.

She wanted to thank him but his sudden and calm silence shut her up. He turned back to her, his eyes narrowed before he reached into his pocket. She watched him carefully, her eyes locked onto his as he pulled his hand out. There was a few white pills sitting in the palm of his dirty hand.

"Antibiotics and painkillers. Take 'em." he said, holding his hand out in her direction.

It was a simple gesture but she felt taken aback by it. It was sweet.

She scooped them into her hand, watching how he tensed when her fingers brushed across his palm. He lowered his hand immediately, pulling his crossbow onto his shoulder.

"Be careful." Heather told him, clenching the pills in his fist.

Daryl looked at her, his face completely void of any emotion though what he was feeling, was consuming him. He could tell she genuinely meant it.

"Always am." he said quietly before he turned away.

He didn't know what else to say, or what he could possibly do, so he headed to the barn where Hershel had kept the horses. He hadn't figured out his feelings for Heather and he doubted he would, but hearing her say those words, in that tone...that was enough for him.

Heather swallowed the pills, washing them down with a bottle of water she found hiding in the corner of her tent. She needed to relax. The fever had only increased and the headache that accompanied it only made her feel worse.

Apart from her illness, the feeling she had in her gut was making it hard for her to breath properly. She couldn't quite place it but when she saw Daryl riding away on the horse, she knew he had something to do with it. She didn't want to, but she worried for him.

Rick had mentioned these feelings to her, it was something they could both relate to. She remembered hearing him talk about how he had the same feeling in his gut the day she got shot. It was nervousness. It ate away and drove you mad. It wasn't comforting and the more she thought about it, the more she found herself worrying.

She didn't want Daryl to go alone.

* * *

**My laptop charger stopped working so now I'm stuck with a desktop. I'm trying to get the next few chapters written out so I can at least post a couple times this week. We'll see how that goes.**

Now, in the next chapter, Daryl comes back with all of his injuries. How do you guys think Heather should react? Obviously she cares for him, probably more than she thinks.  


**Let me know what you guys think!  
**


	20. Chapter 20

Heather spent most of the day trying to sleep, an order Rick gave her she was more than happy to listen to. She found it hard to concentrate on anything she was doing, not knowing exactly why she was so distracted. She figured it had something to do with Daryl, her stomach heaving everything her mind wandered back to him. It began to frustrate her when she couldn't seem to stop thinking about him.

After several unsuccessful attempts at closing her eyes, she finally sat up and decided to see what could be done around the camp, her options limited from her sore arm and the sleep aid Daryl had given her. She felt a little drowsy but it was nothing she couldn't work around for the time being.

She wasn't surprised to see Shane still by the RV, Andrea standing with him as they talked quietly between each other. He lifted his head in acknowledgment when he saw her, offering a small smile that Andrea mimicked. Heather was polite back, smiling and holding her hand up, giving a slight wave before she spotted Lori and Carol by the picnic table.

Lori was visibly upset about something, her movements were jerky and she would often pause to set stuff down as she struggled to appear calm. Heather could see right through her, noticing how both her and Rick reacted to bad situations in the exact same way. Carol was quiet, as always, moving circles around Lori as she prepared whatever they were planning to make for dinner.

Heather made her way over to them, first checking around to see if Glenn or Dale were close by, preferring their company over the two melancholy women. They weren't and Heather sighed, keeping her head high as she got Carol's attention. The woman smiled at her.

"Feeling any better?" she asked as Heather sat down on the bench.

"A little." Heather said, reaching for the extra knife and a potato, "Daryl gave me some painkillers so I don't have a headache anymore."

Carol smiled again and placed a big bowl in the middle of the table, already halfway filled up with cut up chunks of potato.

"He seems to have taken a liking to you."

Heather felt her face scrunch up, not wanting to get into the details of the slight relationship she held with Daryl. Life was complicated enough without throwing in the most emotionally incompetent person she knew.

"I don't know about that." Heather shrugged, trying to remain focused on the potato in front of her. She had come out here to get her mind off of him.

"Sweetie, he chooses to be around you." Lori stated, "he's not like that with anyone else."

Heather sighed, she didn't want to put everything into perspective. Not while she didn't want to even begin thinking about Daryl as more than what he was. Which was simply another contender in the never ending game of survival.

"He feels bad. That's all." Heather said quietly.

She understood then, that what she said was truth. At least for her. She felt silly for only briefly tricking herself into thinking he actually wanted to be around her. It was obvious how uncomfortable he always seemed to be when he was around, she just made it worse. He felt obligated to be around her, convincing himself it was his fault she got shot. She knew it wasn't.

She frowned and looked up when saw Carol lift her head and look at her, a emotion crossing her face that Heather couldn't put her finger on. It could've been anger or even just annoyance but it silenced Heather.

"He's a good man," Carol told her, "better than he knows."

"I'm sure if he knew how good he was, he'd pretend to be even worse." Lori added, smiling meekly to Heather.

Heather agreed, forcing a smile. He was easier to read then he let on.

She sighed again and put the chopped pieces of potato into the bowl Carol had set on the table. Her arm was still sore and the longer she kept it out of the sling, the worse the pain got. She rose, intending to grab the sling from her tent when she heard Andrea's voice cut through the camp, loud and clear.

"Walker!"

Heather jumped up, turning in the direction where Andrea was pointing. She saw a figure emerge from the tree lines slowly, limping in their direction. It took her less than two seconds to recognize him.

"Andrea, don't shoot!" Heather yelled at the older woman, seeing how she pulled the rifle up to aim.

Andrea looked down at her, catching just a glimpse before Heather took off running.

"Heather, just wait!" she heard Rick yelling from behind her.

She ignored him as she picked up speed, the sound of the men gathering weapons and running with her.

Daryl was holding himself up with a stick, the remains of his shirts tied around his body, bloody. Heather stopped when she got close to him, taking cautious steps as he looked at her. She couldn't see any bites on him but the amount of blood and gore threw her off.

"Heather, get back." Rick ordered, grabbing onto her arm as he pulled his gun up, aiming it directly at Daryl's forehead.

"That's the third time you're pointin' that thing at my head. Ya gonna pull the trigger or what?" Daryl spoke through a ragged breath, his body wavering slightly as he nodded his head.

He reached his arm out towards Heather, who was the closest to him. She took his hand and moved closer to him, attempting to let him rest his weight. Just as the stick had dropped from his grasp, a shot rang out and Daryl fell backwards, blood covering the side of his face.

Rick's action was prompt, he ran forward and pulled Daryl up, Shane on the other side of him for support.

"I was kiddin'." Daryl gasped as the two men started dragging him back to the farm.

He was out before they had even reached the front door, before T Dog could hold up the doll Daryl had tied to his belt. The doll that the men instantly recognized as Sophia's. They kept quiet about it, not wanting to bring it up in front of Carol, who was just as shocked as the rest of the camp when they saw Daryl being dragged inside.

Heather finally regained her footing, pushing away the sinking feeling she had in her gut, she grabbed the crossbow Daryl had dropped as she ran back to the farm. She handed the bow to Glenn, not having to explain anything as he took it and watched her dash into the house.

Once she got up the stairs, she stopped in front of the bedroom the men were in, all rushing around Daryl. Hershel saw her in he doorway and motioned for her to step inside.

"I need your help." he said calmly as he walked over to him.

Daryl was lying on the bed, still unconscious and bleeding from the head. She knew he was still alive from how the men continued to work around her.

Hershel rose and she took the spot where he had been sitting, right next to Daryl. He explained how she would have to hold the towel on his head while he stitched up an injury on the man's side that they couldn't figure out. It went through completely and she felt her stomach drop when Rick helped Hershel remove the bloody wife-beater to reveal more cuts and scrapes covering his entire upper body.

Hershel had just begun stitching the wound on his torso when Daryl came to. He was immediately aware of Shane and Rick, staring down at him, waiting for answers. There was a slight pressure on his head and when he tried to turn, wanting to see who was behind him, he heard Heather scold him quietly and push on his shoulder to keep him in place.

"Quit moving." she ordered him, relief passing through her voice.

Daryl winced and pulled the sheet up, suddenly conscious of how bare he was in the room nearly full of people. He wondered why he couldn't have remained passed out until Hershel was done so he wouldn't have to lie awake during the embarrassment.

"Daryl, what happened?" Rick asked the hunter, sitting on the bed opposite of him.

"Horse kicked me off." he answered simply, breathing in sharply when Hershel stuck the needle through.

He explained what had happened to him while he was out, how he had fallen down the edge of a cliff, impaling himself on an arrow. Heather listened quietly as he told the men how he pulled the arrow out and killed two walkers. She was blown away by how badly Daryl had wanted to get back to the camp.

Then he spoke about Sophia's doll, the whole reason he had even attempted to find a way down the cliff.

Rick suddenly became animated at the break in the case, quickly asked if Daryl could remember where he had found the doll. Naturally, Daryl said he could so Rick decided to get the maps Heather held in her tent, wanting to get back to where Daryl had been.

Hershel finished stitching up the arrow wounds when Rick returned with the one Daryl had taken with him. It was damp and there were mud streaks all over it but he had brought it back, just like he said he would.

Rick spread the map out on the bed and let Daryl show where he had fallen. It was close to 6 miles away from the farm, which explained why it had taken Daryl so long to get back.

Heather rose from her spot behind Daryl, no longer needing to hold the cloth on his head wound, and sat down by the end of the bed, peering over Daryl's body to look at the map. He had pulled the sheet up over his chest, finally able to hide himself from the people in the room. He saw Heather from the corner of his eye, her eyes narrowed as Rick and Shane spoke quietly amongst themselves.

She waited until they stopped talking before she stood up and left the room slowly, Daryl was the only one who noticed.

"Stay in here for the night," Hershel told him as he finished stitching up the bite from the bullet, "and don't stretch too much, your stitches can rip."

Daryl was silent as the men left the room, leaving the withered map on the bed next to him. He let out a breath and leaned back against the pillows, allowing himself to relax for the first time that day. He was relieved. After the day he had, he didn't think he would be seeing a bed again.

His head throbbed and his body ached as he breathed through his nose, trying to forget about the pain as he closed his eyes. He hadn't had them closed for more than minute when he heard the door open quietly. He lazily sat up and looked behind him, the embarrassment coming back as he quickly pulled the sheet back up to his chest when Heather walked in. She was carrying a small bucket and had some clothes thrown over her shoulder.

"What're ya doin'?" Daryl asked her as she set the bucket down on the nightstand.

"What does it look like I'm doing?" she answered back, setting the clothes down on the bed.

He saw that they were his own clothes.

"I just grabbed them. Figured you wouldn't mind as long as they aren't bloody." she stated, noticing how he was eyeing the clothes she had taken from his tent.

He didn't say anything as she sat down on the bed where she had been before, right behind him.

"What're ya doin'?" he asked her again, trying to turn around, wanting to know why she was so close to him.

"Quit doing that!" she hissed, pushing against his shoulder, "You're going to rip your stitches."

Daryl sighed heavily and rolled onto his side, not wanting to admit how painless it was to stop moving. He heard her moving behind him, the bucket sloshing with water. She wrung something out, the water dripping into the bucket, then gently pressed it against his back.

He tensed immediately, closing his eyes at the contact. Until that moment, he didn't realize how badly his back had been cut up. The water seeped into the cuts and he winced at the burn of it.

"Does it hurt?" Heather asked quietly, feeling how stiff his body was beneath the sponge.

"Nothin' I can't handle." he replied, his voice strained.

She nodded to herself, rubbing the sponge up and down his back to rid it of the blood and dirt. Her hand faltered as his back became clean and she saw that beneath the fresh wounds, there were scars covering almost every inch of skin. Some were large and a light red while the others were small and white. It was obvious, then, why Daryl was always so rigid.

Heather cleared her throat and set the sponge back into the bucket, letting his back dry before she grabbed the tube of neosporin. Daryl finally relaxed, his shoulders dropping down when he felt her touch him again, this time with her own hands. Her fingers felt long and elegant as she dabbed the ointment onto his wounds, going slowly so she wouldn't make him uncomfortable.

When she was done covering them, she stood up. Daryl tensed again, tilting his head as she leaned over his body and grabbed the map.

"I'll bring you up some dinner in a little bit." she told him quietly, turning her head to look at him.

He nodded once, "Why are ya doin' this?" he asked, his voice coming out quieter than hers had been.

She stood up straight, her lips pressed together as she looked at him. He was suddenly nervous, all of his insecurities flooding his mind as she smiled at him. It was a sweet smile, reassuring.

His heart beat faster.

He swallowed.

"Yell if you need anything. I'll be downstairs." she told him, taking her eyes away from his.

He let out a breath, disappointed by her response. She remained in the room long enough to grab the bucket of water, then she was gone, closing the door behind her.

Daryl was frustrated. He had been the entire day, starting at the picnic table when he first woke up. It was because of her, he knew that. She had taken over his thoughts completely. The way she wasn't intimidated by him, how when she smiled at him, it was different from how she smiled at anyone else. How she preferred his company over anyone else's in the group. He couldn't ignore that.

He was positive there had to be some sort of mutual feeling between them. _No one_ chose Daryl's company over everyone else. He groaned, overwhelmed by the feelings he had tried so hard to push away, tried so hard to ignore.

She cared about him, just like he cared about her. And just like him, she knew that denying the truth was so much more easier than admitting it.

* * *

**A lot is going to be happening in the next few chapters. If you have any ideas for how Daryl and Heather should be like towards each other, let me know and I'll try to satisfy you guys!**

Thank you, again, to everyone who's been reading and reviewing, I appreciate all the feedback!


	21. Chapter 21

Dinner was a silent affair, everyone too shook up about Daryl's injuries to attempt friendly conversation with each other. The group had been told of Sophia's doll and Carol found it hard to concentrate once she knew her little girl might still be out there. She had offered to take Daryl his food and Heather didn't object, figuring he would be less agitated if he saw a different face.

Heather took her time eating, watching everyone finish one by one and set their dishes in the sink. Lori had, out of habit, rose to wash the dishes once she was done eating. Shane's eyes were on her back the entire time and even though Heather was the only one who saw, he didn't try to hide the fact.

She finished what was on her plate, including the squirrel Daryl had managed to bring back from his trip, and headed over to the sink. Lori began to take the dish from her when Heather shook her head, pulling the plate out of the woman's reach.

"You've been doing the dishes all week. Let me do them this time." Heather offered, watching how Lori's face instantly brightened and she nodded.

"Thank you." she sighed, setting the sponge on the edge of the sink before she walked away.

Heather picked the sponge up and started scrubbing the dishes, ignoring the dull pain she felt in her arm when she stretched it too far. The wound itself was healing nicely even though it hadn't been too long.

She was by herself for quite some time until she heard the familiar clunk of boots tread across the wood paneled floor. There was a sigh and the sound of a chair being pulled out, followed by the thud of a body against the chair. Heather took in a breath and turned around, meeting eyes with Shane.

"We have a curfew now." he stated, the bitterness rolling off his tongue as he stared at her.

She could tell he didn't agree with Rick, as usual, but he wouldn't do anything to make Rick understand his side. It was a never ending cycle of testosterone.

"He's just trying to keep everyone safe, you know that." Heather told him, shaking her head as she continued washing the dishes in front of her.

"If he wanted to keep him safe, he would give everyone a gun. Not send them to their rooms like children." Shane's voice was getting increasingly hostile and Heather turned back around.

"Why are you telling me this?" she asked him, setting the sponge down on the edge of the sink.

Shane shrugged, "You're the only one who actually listens. Everyone else, they just let it go in one ear and out the other. But you...you think about it."

"If you would actually bring these issues to Rick instead of glaring at his back, you two might actually get some of this shit figured out." Heather said, pulling out the chair across the table from him and sitting down on it.

He narrowed his eyes at her as a smile slowly crossed his lips.

"Are you making plans to leave?" he asked her, his voice low while the smile disappeared.

"Why would you ask that?" she wondered, leaning back in the chair.

Heather took in a small breath, feeling slightly annoyed that he changed the subject so quickly. She knew Shane was always thinking about things and how to either escape them, or destroy them.

"You got all those maps in your tent. You keep lists of things you either need or have already gotten. What's up with that?" he questioned, placing his elbows on the table.

She felt her face flush, an accidental reaction to a burst of anger. She hadn't realized the two men had gone through her notebooks while they grabbed the map for Daryl earlier.

"I already told you, I'm looking for my brother." she spoke through gritted teeth, trying to control her anger as she knew Shane hadn't meant to anger her in the first place.

"Haven't looked for him for awhile..."

"Can't exactly go out on my own with this." she pointed to the wound on her shoulder.

"But when that's all healed up, are you leaving to search for him?"

Heather felt the anger diminish as she looked at him, curious to why he was so concerned with what she was doing. Whatever friendship she had with Shane was complicated, in ways she couldn't even explain, but she knew he didn't mean her any harm.

"I haven't really thought about it much lately." she replied honestly, looking down at her lap.

There was a silence between them that was more than comfortable, to her surprise, and it gave her time to think about what she really wanted to do when her injury healed. Her original plan had been to stay with the group for a few weeks, then she would leave and continue searching. She hadn't thought about what would happen once she bonded with the people in the group and now the thought of leaving them seemed impossible.

"Well, if you leave, I would be more than happy to keep you company." Shane finally said, nodding his head, "I've been thinking about leaving for awhile now but going on my own is just foolish. We could look out for each other."

Heather nodded, adding that thought to the list of things she needed to consider. She figured she would have another week or two to decide what she truly wanted to do before she got even more comfortable with the group.

"Just think about it." Shane said quietly, tapping the table with his fist lightly before he stood up and exited the kitchen.

Heather laid her head against the table, letting out a deep breath as the weight of her problem's crushed her. She still believed her brother was alive and even though finding him seemed impossible, it was something she couldn't just brush aside.

The group never questioned why she still tried, most of them not caring enough, the rest not wanting to get involved in something that they didn't understand. It didn't bother her.

She sighed and lifted her head up, breathing through her nose as she tried to ignore the stress of her thoughts. She would forget about it, for now, and think about it another time. A day when nothing bad happened to anyone in the group. Her mind immediately went back to Daryl, who had been upstairs by himself for most of the night.

Heather felt bad, knowing how boring and lonely it got when no one visited you. She didn't want to make herself seem needy for company so she slowly finished up the dishes, taking her time with rinsing them. Once she was done with them, she smiled in satisfaction when she realized there were dirty dishes up in the room.

She dried her hands and left the kitchen, noiselessly making her way up to Daryl's room. She opened the door quietly, hoping he would be asleep, and peeked her head inside. He was still rolled onto his side, away from the door, but the second he heard the door creak, he turned around.

"Sorry. I was trying to be quiet." Heather apologized, stepping into the room.

"Wasn't asleep." Daryl mumbled, turning back around, away from her.

Heather nodded and walked over to the opposite side of the bed, seeing a chair placed there that wasn't there before. She looked at where the plate had been set and realized Carol had been there previously. She sat down on the chair and looked over at Daryl, who was now forced to look at her.

"How are you feeling?" she asked him, reaching beside her to grab the plate and fork that was sitting on the night stand to her left.

"Old man loaded me up with some pain killers so I'm feelin' pretty alright." he told her, watching as she placed the dishes on her lap. She was smiling at him and he pulled his eyes away from hers.

"I bet that bed feels great too."

Daryl turned back to her and smirked, nodding his head.

"Yep. You're missin' out." he sighed, thinking back to how she refused to stay in bed all day. Of all the things he thought he would miss, a bed wasn't one of them but now that he was in one,

Heather smiled again and stood up, the dishes rattling in her hands as she headed to the door. She was stopped suddenly by Daryl reaching around and grabbing her wrist.

"Ya don't have to take care of me. I can take care of myself." he told her, his steel blue eyes staring directly into hers.

"You wouldn't let me if I tried, Daryl." she twisted her wrist and pulled it out of his loose grasp.

He stared at her for another moment, his hand falling softly onto the bed beside him. He watched her leave the room, closing the door behind her quietly again. He felt a stab of anger in his gut, not knowing how to get her to stop babying him. The anger morphed into revulsion when he realized he wanted her to stay with him and no amount of denying could look past it.

The door opened again and Daryl could hear her step back in without turning around. She was always so quiet. He heard her walk back over to the chair and when he looked up, she had sat back down and was sipping from a mug.

"What is that?" he asked her, motioning to the cup in her hands.

"Tea. Want some?"

He shrugged, almost ashamed to admit he had never tasted tea before in his life. If it wasn't water, beer, or whiskey, he wasn't interested. She held it out and he felt he had no choice but to agree.

"Better be good." he grumbled, pushing himself up on his arm as she leaned forward, holding the cup out to him.

He tried to grab it but was stopped by a sharp pain that shot through his arm. He winced and Heather immediately set the cup down on the nightstand and kneeled onto the bed. She waited until he could breath properly before she scooted closer to him and helped him sit up, leaning his body against the headboard.

"Thought you could take care of yourself." Heather smiled again, reaching behind her to grab the cup.

Daryl felt himself smirk again, shaking his head.

"Ya caught me at a bad time." he said, trying to ignore how her fingers were still touching his arm lightly.

She didn't say anything as she held the cup against his lips and let him take a drink. He made a face, the slightly flavored water tasting bitter in his mouth.

"Gross." he shook his head.

She laughed quietly and set the cup back on the nightstand. He eyed her, noting how she was careful not to move her arm the wrong way. She turned back to him and saw that he was looking at her, his eyes moving along the scar on her face.

"How'd ya get that?" he asked her, wondering if she would actually answer him. He knew that she didn't talk about it and whenever it had been brought up, she changed the subject.

"Why do you care?"

He bit down on his lip, not knowing how to answer her. He didn't know why he cared but once he looked at it through the light of the bedroom, he couldn't stop thinking about it.

"Don't." he lied, shaking his head again.

Heather looked at him, fighting mentally with herself. She kept that part of her time alone a secret, not wanting to relive the details to anyone.

"I got attacked." she said quietly, her voice wavering slightly as she lowered her eyes.

Daryl was still watching her, his eyebrows furrowing when she frowned.

"By who?"

She shrugged, "A few guys. They picked me up outside of Atlanta. I don't know why I even went with them, they didn't look like good people."

Daryl had heard what happened in Atlanta, her loyalty to Rick nearly costing her her life when she allowed the city to fall on her. His breathing had picked up just barely as she continued.

"We got away from the walkers and they took me to a campsite a few miles outside of the city. I didn't realize they were only being nice so they could get my things."

Heather stopped talking and looked over at Daryl, who fist was now clenched in front of him, his knuckles turning white.

"What'd they do to ya?" Daryl questioned through a quiet breath.

She smiled, though he saw that it was pained and not at all sincere.

"They attacked me." she repeated, "I shot one of them and they attacked me. Left me for dead."

Heather stopped talking and Daryl took that as a sign to not ask anymore. He could guess what they did to her. She barely hesitated telling him and when he didn't look at her in disgust or pity, she felt a kind of contentment she hadn't felt in months.

Daryl swallowed the anger he felt towards the guys who gave her the scar, surprised by his desire to find the ones she hadn't shot and kill them on his own. He knew she had been hurt but he didn't realize he wasn't prepared to find out how until it was too late.

There were scars covering both of their bodies, both physical and mental, and it was becoming more obvious to Daryl that the friendship he was developing with Heather was most likely the only one he didn't have to question. He was comfortable around her and he decided he would protect her from then on, no matter what.

"Bed's pretty big, if ya wanted to stay in here tonight." Daryl offered quietly, looking away from her.

He felt the bed move next to him as she laid back, letting out a sigh of relief.

"I was going to anyway." she was smiling again and he could hear it in her voice.

He moved himself down so his head was on the pillow and their bodies were parallel to each other, her back facing him. He was aware sleep wouldn't come easy, especially now that she was in the bed with him, but he felt better knowing that she was with him.

* * *

**Not as long as I had hoped but I'm trying to knock out more than just one a week. :)**

I am taking all the reviews into consideration and I'm happy to say that they're actually helping with the progression of Heather and Daryl's relationship. They're getting closer but there's still a lot of complications coming up. Let me know what you guys think!  



	22. Chapter 22

When the sun finally began to rise, Daryl's body tensed up again. Heather hadn't moved the entire night, her back facing him as he was too nervous to move himself. He thought she was awake at certain points throughout the night but he couldn't bring himself to say anything to her, his insecurities coming back when he thought of waking her by accident.

It had been a rough night.

He hadn't been able to take his eyes off of her from the moment she laid down. His eyes stayed glued to the scar on her back, bits of it poking through the thin fabric of her t-shirt. If he stared long enough, he would forget that the black outline of her bra could been seen through the shirt, a fact that made him uncomfortable despite the lack of company in the room.

She moved beside him, sighing lightly as she rolled onto her back. Daryl could see that she was awake now, her eyes adjusting the brightness in the room before she yawned and turned towards him.

"How do you feel?" she asked him, rubbing the skin beneath her eye lightly.

"Fine." Daryl muttered, noticing how she saw right through him in the second, smirking and shaking her head.

"No headache?" she wondered, sitting up.

He watched her stretch her arms over her head before she tilted her head, cracking her neck.

"None." he lied, the headache he had begun to notice in the early hours of the morning beating against his skull dully.

"Well, let's go get something to eat then." she spoke softly and Daryl could see her wince suddenly as she leaned against her bad arm.

Without question, he found himself leaning over and pushing her upright, despite his own inability to stretch too far. Her skin was hot and as soon as she had swung her legs over the edge of the bed, Daryl pulled his hand backward.

"Ya feelin' alright?" he questioned, pulling his body up to lean against he headboard.

"I feel like shit but I figure if you can get shot in the head and still not even have a headache, there's no reason for me to complain. Now c'mon, get up and let's go."

The angered sigh that escaped past Daryl's lips was unintentional but when he saw her wavering as she stood, he decided it was acceptable. He waited until she was facing away from him before he grabbed the shirt she had brought him the previous night from the floor and tried to pull it on quickly. It took him a moment to get his arms through the sleeves, the pain from his injuries stalling him. She turned around just as he started to button it.

She waited patiently for him to finish buttoning it, her eyes looking around the room to avoid Daryl's obvious uncomfortable stare from he bed. She didn't question him, seeing a few of his scars and understanding why he didn't want anyone to see them.

When he finished, he rose from the bed slowly, trying not to let the pain from his head be visible to Heather. If she had noticed, she didn't make an effort to show any concern with both relieved and disappointed Daryl.

She led the way down the stairs, walking slowly in case he needed any help. He kept a steady pace behind her, his hand on the guard rail the entire time. Neither of them was surprised they were the only ones awake, everyone else in the house had never gotten used to sleeping outside.

"It's too early." Daryl stated as they made their way to the front door, glad the sun wasn't at it's peak yet. It would only destroy his head even more.

"You can go back to sleep. I'll bring you some breakfast when it's ready." Heather offered, turning back to see Daryl's face. The bandage around his head was loosely wrapped and she could see the crusted blood surrounding the stitches.

"Don't hafta." he said quietly, shaking his head.

"I know I don't," Heather sighed, "I'm offering so you can stay in your tent the whole day without anyone bothering you."

Daryl saw her frown slightly as she looked up at him. He wasn't sure why but he was suddenly angry that she wanted to continue caring for him, though she was hurt herself.

"I told ya I can take care of myself. I don't need yer help with anythin'." he snarled, grimacing as he tried to push past her to the front door.

He misjudged his placement and his hand slammed against the bandage that was wrapped around her shoulder. She instantly let out a small cry of pain and backed away from him. He stopped moving, his heart racing as she held onto her arm, the pain evident on her paling face. He felt ashamed, his fingernails digging into the palm of his hand, the only thing that was keeping him from reaching out for her.

She shook her head at him, all the friendliness she had shown just minutes before vanishing as she stepped around him. He was quick to reach his hand out, wanting to apologize to her but she pulled out of his grasp.

"Don't touch me." she said coldly, turning away from him.

He cursed to himself as he watched her open the door and walk outside. He knew he had angered her, even hurt her but he wasn't one to chase after people no matter how badly he felt he had to.

Heather walked to her tent, the throbbing in her shoulder bringing tears to her eyes. It was an accident, she was aware, but his carelessness still pissed her off and she realized that he wasn't ever going to be an easy person to be friends with.

She hadn't been able to sleep most of the night, her mind racing with the memories she had revealed to Daryl. He had accepted her stories without question and didn't push her anymore after she finished, something she was grateful for. His silence never bothered her and she was now comfortable around him.

She crawled inside her tent and huffed as she pulled out fresh bandages and a bottle of aspirin she found at the bottom of her bag. She cleaned her wound slowly, methodically and took a few of the aspirin before she leaned back on her sleeping bag. It wasn't as welcoming as the bed.

She was alone in her tent for close to an hour before she heard footsteps just outside. It didn't take a genius to know Rick was standing outside, hesitating before he attempted to knock. Heather greeted him and allowed him to crawl in with her, taking a place on the opposite side of the tent.

"I'm headin' out with a few people today to cover the area where Daryl found Sophia's doll. I want you to stay here and help around the farm. I know you still can't lift much but maybe you could help Lori with some laundry." Rick told her, nodding his head as he looked at her.

"Who's going out?" she wondered, stifling a yawn.

"Shane, Glenn, and T-Dog." he said, tilting his head at her, "Where were you last night?"

Heather felt herself blush lightly, accidently before she looked away from him.

"Nowhere." she answered, shaking her head.

"I came to see if you wanted to partake in watch for the night and you weren't here. Didn't see you at all after dinner." he continued.

Heather groaned and closed her eyes. She knew Daryl wouldn't want anyone to know they spent the night together and she wasn't fond of other people knowing her personal life but she also knew Rick wouldn't give up until she told him the truth.

"I slept in the house last night." she stated, hoping that would be enough for him.

He nodded his head, ready to accept her answer before he started catching on.

"Where in the house?"

"I don't want to do this, Rick." she was smiling from frustration, her eyebrows raised as she stared at him, "it doesn't matter where I stayed last night."

He seemed to accept it finally, pressing his lips together as he nodded again. She could tell he caught on but as she suspected, he didn't press it any further and he carried on with the plans for the day.

"Dale and Andrea are doing the first two shifts but I was thinking after you help with the laundry, you could relieve them for the night. Daryl has last shift so make sure he rests for the day."

Heather sighed and agreed, not wanting to argue with Rick about how she didn't want to help with the laundry at all. She would have rather sat outside for watch the entire day but she knew he wouldn't let her do that. Especially since his wife was now pregnant, she would be doing less work.

"Just be careful." Heather told him, "Watch out for snakes."

Rick smiled at her and nodded, taking in a breath before he exited her tent. She heard him stop outside and then Daryl's voice was heard, speaking in hushed voices with Rick. She waited until both of them were gone before she crawled out of her tent and decided to get started with the day.

Lori was by the picnic table when Heather finally found her, a basket of clothes next to her. She looked sick and Heather could tell the morning sickness was already beginning.

"Do you need help with anything?" Heather asked her, sitting across from her on the bench.

Lori looked up and smiled at her, weak but friendly.

"I was just going around collecting clothes. I felt sick so I had to sit down."

"It's no problems. Whose do you need still?" she asked her.

"Yours and Daryl's." Lori said, running a hand through her slightly tangled hair.

Heather sighed and looked down at her hands. She knew she shouldn't be but she still felt heated when she thought of Daryl and she really didn't want to talk to him. Thankfully, Carol had wandered around to the picnic table almost as soon as Lori had said Daryl's name.

"I can get his. I was headed over that way anyway." Carol suggested, shrugging her shoulders.

Heather nodded, narrowing her eyes. She hadn't thought much about it since she'd been with the group, but the closer she got to Daryl, the more she noticed how Carol seemed to always follow him around, whether it be physically or just with her eyes.

"That would be helpful." Heather said quietly, watching how Carol grabbed the basket from Lori's grasp before she nearly jogged away.

She waited until Carol was out of sight before she rose and headed to her own tent to grab her clothes.

The day seemed to drag on the longer she spent washing clothes. With so many people in the group, there were a lot of clothes to go around and with only one washer, most of the clothes had to be washed outside using well water. Heather didn't mind washing the clothes by hand but after awhile, her shoulder began to throb again and she had to take breaks between loads.

When the last load was finally washed, she carried the wet clothes around to the side of the house where she handed Lori the basket. By that time, it was Heather's turn to take watch.

She grabbed her gun, a flashlight and a book, then made her way to the RV, smiling up at Dale as she approached. She had taken a liking to the old man, who often borrowed books from her even though the few copies she had, he had read numerous times already.

"Is it my time already?" he asked her as she climbed up the ladder, careful not to use her bad arm too much.

"I'm afraid so. You can go rest now." Heather smiled at him, pulling a chair to her as she placed her personal items on the ground next to it.

"I'll yell for you when dinner's ready." Dale told her as he handed her his hat then climbed down the ladder.

Heather pulled his hat on and placed the gun in her lap. The pair of binoculars were on the roof of the RV, just within her reach but she left them laying there, choosing instead to flip through the pages of her worn copy of Lolita.

She read until it started to get dark then quietly closed the book and picked the binoculars up. Rick and the rest of the group had made it back and from the sounds around the camp, she knew dinner was being cooked. Part of her wanted to go down and join the group but the other half was content being alone, knowing that she rarely found enough time to be by herself.

It was a few minutes longer before she heard someone climbing up the ladder. She turned and saw Daryl, awkwardly carrying two plates of food as he tried to keep his cross bow from falling off his shoulder.

He walked over to her and handed her a plate in silence, then sat down in the chair next to her and started eating his food. She hesitated before she began to eat, looking over at Daryl every few seconds, trying to figure out what he was doing. She gathered this was his way of apologizing.

They ate together quietly, finishing their meals at around the same time. Heather wanted to speak to him but she didn't want to interrupt the calm night and the level of comfortability between the two of them. If it was one thing she had learned from being around him, it was silence is golden.

She sat with him for another twenty minutes or so before she pulled the hat off her head and let out a sigh. She was tired and since Daryl took over for her, she found no reason to sit there.

She grabbed her gun and her book and rose to her feet, moving the chair out of her way before she started walking to the edge of the RV. She placed the gun in the waist of her jeans and rested her foot on the first step of the ladder when she heard Daryl's voice.

"Didn't mean to hurt ya earlier." he said just loud enough for Heather to hear.

"Never thought you did." Heather admitted.

She saw Daryl nod as he turned to her. His face held many emotions she couldn't place but the one she could seemed to be anger.

"Hershel wanted me to stay in the house again, said I'm still prone to infections." he told her, his hands fidgeting in his lap, "was thinkin', since I got watch, yer welcome to use the bed again."

"I don't want to take your last night in the bed." she smiled at him, causing his stomach to tense as he looked away.

"Wouldn't be out here all night. Gotta get to bed at some point." he shrugged his shoulders.

"You wouldn't mind sharing with me again?" she wasn't sure if it was the right question to ask but she felt hope when he shook his head, still not looking at her.

"Beats sleepin' on the ground." Daryl said quietly, taking in a deep breath.

Heather nodded then climbed down the ladder, not wanting to wear out her welcome with him. He watched her walk away, her limp hardly noticeable as she headed to the house.

Daryl let out the breath he had been holding, his heart racing suddenly when he thought about sharing a bed with her again. He hadn't put much thought into why he offered it again because once he started questioning what he was doing, he started getting angry at himself.

He stayed on top of the RV until close to 3 am when Shane finally came to take over for him. He had thought for a majority of the night why he was so insistent on making sure Heather was comfortable and how he would get sleep with her in the same bed as him. These thoughts plagued his mind and he almost turned around when he got to the front door of the house.

He pushed himself forward, not wanting to risk an infection just because he was scared to sleep in the same room as someone he was starting to care about. The door to the bedroom was closed and he swallowed harshly before he twisted the doorknob and quietly stepped into the room.

Heather was on the bed, facing away from him. He kicked his boots off and pulled the blankets down, careful not to move them too much as he pulled his shirt off and climbed into the bed next to her. He tried to ignore the fact that she was there but found it hard to breathe and immediately felt himself turn towards her. She was wearing a plain tank top, making her scar more visible than it had been the night before.

Daryl slid down into the bed and pulled the blankets up to his chest as he laid on his back. He breathed deeply and closed his eyes, finally adjusted in the bed. His eyes snapped open when he felt Heather move beside him and his body tensed as she rolled away, facing him. She was in a deep sleep, her breaths heavy and steady as she dreamt.

He looked to her and watched her, unexpectedly drawn to the way her eyebrows furrowed and she let out a soft whimper. He couldn't explain why but he felt the need to comfort her, a feeling he had never experienced before. He reached his hand out slowly, carefully, and gently ran his fingertips down the length of the scar on her face. Her body tensed beside him and he saw her eyebrows soften as he kept his hand on her face, tracing the scar.

Daryl rolled onto his side, his arm still reached out in Heather's direction as he moved his hand to the side of her head, brushing back the hair that fell across her face. He felt a sense of guiltiness as he touched her, wondering if she would wake up and react badly. At the moment, he could only concentrate on the way her skin felt beneath his fingertips.

After a few minutes, she whimpered again and Daryl's hand froze as she stirred. He felt his breath stop, his body went rigid as she moved herself closer to him. She curled against his body, her forehead pressing against his shoulder as her hand touched his chest lightly. He didn't know if she was awake but moving seemed like a bad idea to him.

He realized after she had stopped moving, that he couldn't move away from her. He wished he hadn't taken his shirt off then, regretting his decision to touch her in the first place. He turned his head, finding that his nose was close enough the her hair that he could smell the light floral scented shampoo all the women seemed to use. He closed his eyes, breathing in her scent.

He thought he could go to sleep then, using the strength he had to hold his arm away from her and keep his body from molding into hers but when he started to drift off, Heather's body began shaking slightly. He pulled back, trying to look at her face, then realized she was crying. He started to panic, never good with anyone crying.

"Heather." he said quietly, reaching his hand out to shake her shoulder gently, "wake up."

He waited a moment, feeling her move again, then shook her again. She moved against him, her hand reaching up to the side of his neck as she pulled herself closer to him. He sighed and let her fold herself into his arms, knowing there was nothing he could do to stop her.

He felt her tears on his shoulder, the sounds of her crying making his stomach seize. She could have been awake but for once, Daryl didn't care. He wrapped his arm around her and pulled her close to his body, reaching his hand between them to wipe away the few tears that had fallen onto his shoulder.

"I'm sorry." he heard her say softly, nearly scaring him as she spoke.

He swallowed, embarrassed by his need to touch her. His hold on her remained tight as she stopped crying, keeping herself close to his body.

"Bad dream?" he asked her after he felt her relax.

"Guess you could say that." she nodded, "Haven't had one in a long time."

Daryl nodded as well, "It's ok."

Heather let out a shaky breath, pulling her body away from him slightly so she could look at his face. Even through the dark, she could see how bright his blue eyes were. He was watching her cautiously, his eyes searching hers as she looked at him.

She felt his hand move against her back, brushing against the crippled skin that formed her scar. His face remained still as she frowned at him, her fingers pressing against the flesh of his collarbone. His skin was warm and she was surprised by how deeply comforted she felt as he kept his arm around her.

Something passed between them as they looked at each other and Heather could only blame it on the closeness of the situation. She suddenly felt nervous from the way he was looking at her, his gaze primal as he dug his fingers into her back just enough to pull her closer to him.

She was aware Daryl wasn't like anyone she had ever met before and she still wasn't sure of her boundaries with him but without knowing what caused it, her body felt hot and she couldn't breathe properly. He appeared to have the same problem as she leaned in slowly, trying to figure out how Daryl would react. His body tensed and he felt himself involuntarily move his head back just an inch as she leaned in towards him.

She brushed her lips against his for a brief second, long enough for her to catch herself and what she was doing. Daryl's hands fell away from her, his mind racing as she pulled away and slid away from him, mortified by how easily the kiss came from her.

"I'm so sorry." she stammered, swinging her legs over the side of the bed.

He sat up, trying to find the words to talk to her, to tell her she shouldn't be sorry but he felt too awkward. He had kissed girls before, even slept with them but he had never cared about any of them and he found it hard to accept a kiss from someone he slowly felt himself caring for.

He watched her pull her T-shirt of the tank top she was wearing, then pull her shoes on without saying another word. She didn't look back at him as she exited the room, her face flushed from the awkwardness of the situation. She hadn't meant to kiss him, she wasn't even sure what compelled her to do it. She simply knew it was the wrong thing to do even if she did find his rough lips strangely attractive.

Daryl rolled over in the bed, looking at the spot where Heather had been. He felt dissatisfied and he realized, after many hours of thinking about it, that he felt this way because he wanted to kiss her back.

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**Sorry it took so long to get this up! I'm in the process of moving so my laptop was packed away. But now that I got this up, you guys will start to see Heather and Daryl's relationship progress further.**

Also, thank you everyone for the reviews! They really help with the brainstorming process. It's getting closer to the barn scene so if you guys have any input on how I should work that out, please let me know.  


**Next chapter should be up in a few days. I've already started working on it so sit tight!  
**


	23. Chapter 23

**Sorry for the delay!**

**GypsyWitchBaby - I'm trying to make their relationship progress at a believable rate. I don't want them to wind up getting too serious too fast. It has to be very slow with both of them since their both so damaged. Thank you for your input!**

**Leyshla Gisel - They're both very unsure of how to feel about each other. I think Daryl's too complicated to realize his feelings right away.**

**Emberka-2012 - They'll talk to each other but it's going to be awhile before they actually share a kiss :)**

**StrawberriCat - I thought your review made a lot of good points. I've been meaning to incorporate the other characters but since this is going to be a pretty long story, I've been delaying the interaction between most of them. Hopefully this chapter pleases you! And I haven't quite decided what I'm going to do about the deaths... ;)**

**maawwge - Thank you! Here's your update!**

**Guest - Rushing into things only complicates them more. Thank you!**

**The reviews are very helpful!**

Enjoy!

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Rick woke Heather just a couple hours after she had finally gotten to sleep, which simply consisted of drifting off for twenty minutes at a time. She found it hard to clear her mind enough to get a good night of rest. Thankfully, Rick didn't push her with any questions as he laid out the plans for the day.

"Hershel's sending Glenn into town to get some things from that little store; toothpaste and shampoo mostly." Rick explained to her, his tone tiresome as he struggled to keep his eyes open. She didn't blame him, the man had been under a lot of stress and with the recent news of a baby...she could only imagine what he was going through.

"I want you to run in with him since you're fast on your feet like him." he continued, letting out a breath, "You feeling up to it?"

He was looking at her shoulder, the white of the bandage shades lighter than her skin. She knew he was thinking about whether or not it was safe to send her out with the injury. If she really thought about it, her arm was hardly in pain and she figured if she took a painkiller, she would be able to get through the day.

"Totally up for it." Heather nodded, grabbing her bag from beside her, "Can we take one of the cars?"

Rick smiled, "Only if Glenn drives. I'm not sure I feel ok with you behind the wheel."

Heather scoffed, pretending to be offended, "How rude."

He laughed and looked down to the ground, nodding his head. He had almost forgotten what it was like to laugh. The thought disturbed him and his face reverted back to it's normal scowl.

"Get something to eat and we'll get you on your way." he said, gently slapping his own knee as he rose, "If you're not feeling up to it after breakfast, I'm sure I can convince someone else to go."

Heather shook her head and crawled out of the tent, tilting her eyes up to meet Rick's.

"I'll be fine. Seriously. It hardly even hurts anymore." she tried to assure him, watching how he nodded, keeping the concern locked away for her sake.

He kept silent as they walked together to the picnic tables where Carol was already awake and making breakfast. The morning weather had started getting chilly and Heather felt goosebumps rise on her arms from the slight draft. She sat down on the opposite side as Rick and waited in even more silence while the older woman cooked.

Daryl came out of the house just minutes after Heather and Rick had sat down. He debated going over there with them but saw that Heather had looked up at him, her face flushing again before she kept her head down. She was still embarrassed and he didn't want to make it obvious something had happened between them throughout the night.

Heather watched Daryl as he walked briskly to his tent, only once looking her way before he nodded, acknowledging her presence. She was relieved though she had to remind herself Daryl wasn't the type of guy to talk about things that bothered him or made him uncomfortable.

Once Carol had finished cooking breakfast and everyone had come out of their tents from the smell, they all gathered around at the picnic table where Rick began to announce the plans for the day. Heather kept her head down as she ate the eggs on her plate, aware that Daryl was staring at her the entire time Rick spoke.

"I'm sending Glenn and Heather into town to grab some essentials we're slowly running out of. Toothpaste, shampoo, soap; anything like that, that we'll need. If you think of anything they're able to get, let them know before they leave." Rick told the table, looking around to see if there were any objections.

"You think that's a good idea, Rick?" Shane questioned, shaking his head as he narrowed his eyes, "Heather just got shot less than a week ago and if something happens, you think Glenn will be able to handle it?"

Rick straightened his posture as he took in a breath through his nostrils. He knew Shane was the only one who would make it a point to argue the plan. Glenn was waiting patiently for Rick's opinion, knowing that when it came to arguments, he was better left on the outside.

"Heather said she's up for it and yes, I do think Glenn can handle it. I'm sending those two out because they're fast and Heather knows exactly where they're heading." Rick explained.

Shane nodded his head, rolling his eyes in annoyance.

"You should at least send someone out with them, in case something happens." he continued, ignoring the stare he was getting from Heather.

"Glenn and I are capable of doing this on our own." Heather spoke up, not bothering to hide the bitterness in her voice, "you may not trust Rick's decisions to keep this group safe, but I do. I agreed to do this, knowing the consequences... we don't need you jumping down Rick's throat every time he sends a group out that doesn't include you."

Normally, Shane couldn't stand when people talked down to him or even tried to argue with him, but he was only slightly offended by Heather's venomous tone. He even smiled as he shook his head again and continued eating.

"Fair enough." he agreed.

Heather nodded once and looked to Rick, hiding her smile when he silently thanked her. He seemed pleased and she had to convince herself that her words weren't unnecessary. Sometimes Shane needed to be put in his place.

They finished eating in silence, everyone's thoughts too preoccupied with the other plans for the day. Rick was going out with a few people to check the area by the ravine again, Andrea and Dale would take watch, and Daryl found he was left with nothing. His injuries were still serious to guarantee him another day in bed.

He handed Carol his plate, noticing how Heather had already left the table and made her way back to her tent. He had been meaning to talk to her, realizing he wasn't too pleased to find out she was going on a run so soon after she got shot. It bothered him to think about Glenn being the only one around if something happened.

Without thinking, he calmly walked over to Heather's tent, hesitating on the outside when he heard her inside, gathering things into her backpack. He cleared his throat, loud enough for her to hear, then leaned down and crawled in. She was sitting on the opposite side of him, her hands grasping the maps she held so dear.

"Can I help you?" she asked, confused as she stared at him.

"Shouldn't be goin' out today." he started, looking away from her, "could still get hurt."

Heather paused and raised her eyebrows, noticing how he wasn't looking at her anymore.

"I appreciate the concern, Daryl, but I'm fine."

She smiled at him and he felt his hand twitch. He wasn't sure why he had expressed concern to her, he knew she wouldn't listen to him anyway.

"If ya get shot again, ya think Glenn's gonna be able to carry ya back?"

Heather's smile dropped, turning into a slight frown. His eyes remained on her lips, trying to forget the how soft they had been. He looked away quickly.

"I don't think I'm going to get shot again." she told him, finding use of her hands again as she shoved some protein bars and the maps into her bag, "and if I do, I'll make sure to park the car closer this time."

Daryl couldn't help the sigh of frustration as Heather slid out of the tent, leaving him alone. He remained inside for a moment longer, regaining his composure, then crawled out and headed to his own tent.

It was around noon when Heather met Glenn by the car Shane had offered to let them use again. He figured it would be easier for them to use as opposed to the very old and very noisy station wagon Carol had brought with her.

"You ready?" she asked Glenn as she threw her bag into the back of the car.

Glenn nodded, wincing as he noticed the dried blood covering the seats from where Heather had been just days before. He didn't feel comfortable going in that car but he didn't see a point in bringing that topic to the surface.

"Lori and Carol gave me a list with some things they needed." he told her, pulling a piece of paper from his pocket and handing it to her.

She looked it over slowly, nearly rolling her eyes at the mundane items they put. Lotion, conditioner, razors, etc. The only thing they listed that Heather found reasonable, was something all the women needed: feminine hygiene products. Glenn's jerky actions told her he had looked over the list.

"Alright then, let's go." she smiled at him, opening the passenger door as Glenn got in the driver's seat.

The drive into town didn't take them very long, about an hour, which Heather found irritating since it should have only taken them 30 minutes. She found Glenn's driving comparable to her grandmother's. She didn't complain though, not wanting to insult his driving when he had been nothing but nice to her since they'd met.

"Where to first?" he asked her as they got out of the car, their weapons drawn.

Glenn had Shane's rifle and even though he wasn't much bigger than her, he handled it very well. Her baseball bat felt weak in her hands and she decided that she would have to trade it in for another weapon when she had the chance. It was getting splintered anyway.

"Grocery store." Heather told him, nodding towards that direction, "We should grab the things on the list first."

Glenn nodded and followed her, keeping a safe distance behind as he looked around the town. He had made a few trips with Maggie, grabbing things they needed and spending a little time to themselves. He didn't want to tell Rick that the last time they were here, Maggie had gotten attacked by a hidden walker. It made him uneasy to come back to the town.

"Did you volunteer to do this?"

Glenn looked towards Heather, smiling nervously when he saw she was looking back at him. He had always been a nervous guy but the last few months had turned him into a shaking mess.

"Kinda." he shrugged, "Rick asked if I wanted to and I didn't see any reason not to. So yeah, I guess I volunteered."

Heather nodded and turned back around, focusing on the road in front of her. She knew where the grocery store was, having stayed in that town for a couple weeks before the group had found her. She wasn't sure what was left in the store, not even sure if other people had gone through.

"Maggie said the town hasn't been touched since this started happening." Glenn said suddenly, as if he could read Heather's mind.

She smiled and nodded again, standing in front of the automatic doors. The power had left some time ago so she had to wedge her bat between the doors to pry it open. Glenn stood back, aiming his gun just past her in case something decided to surprise them. They both waited and when neither of them heard anything, they stepped inside.

"You've got a little crush on Maggie?" Heather asked, taking a few steps before she turned around so he could see the smile, letting him know she only meant to have a friendly conversation with him.

Glenn felt his cheeks turn red as the gun wavered in his arms.

"Something like that." he agreed, looking to the ground as he smiled.

"It's nothing to be ashamed of. That's pretty lucky, surviving the end of the world and being able to meet someone as cute as Maggie."

"I'm not ashamed." he insisted, "it's just...new to me."

Heather took in a breath and continued walking, having to squint through the dark store to see the aisle signs. When she found Health and Beauty, she turned back to Glenn.

"Relationships are tricky." she muttered, shaking her head as her mind instantly went back to the night before.

She felt guilty for pushing herself onto Daryl even though he didn't object or say anything that would make her think he was bothered by it. His actions spoke loud enough and when he leaned his head back, she felt she was crossing boundaries she shouldn't have even been near.

"What about you?" Glenn asked her, jerking her from her thoughts.

She was confused, turning her head back to see him.

"What about me?" she wondered.

Glenn shrugged and lowered his gun as Heather kneeled by the body lotions, looking them over before she shoved a few into her bag.

"Everyone's been kind of talking about you and Daryl." he said slowly, finding himself nervous again as Heather's hand stalled on the lotions and she looked at him.

"What are they saying?" she asked him.

He shrugged again, shifting his weight from one leg to another. He didn't like the way she was looking at him, her eyes narrowed and her lips pressed together.

"Carol was talking to Lori about how you stayed in the house the other night and they both thought you were with Daryl. She didn't sound too happy about it." he said in a breath, shaking his head when Heather smiled and looked away.

"Carol sees things that aren't there," she started, reaching back to the shelf with an outstretched hand, "Daryl and I are hardly friends. I stayed with him the other night because Hershel said someone needed to look after him. He did it for me, I owed him."

The lie felt sour in her mouth but when she finished talking, Glenn nodded and kneeled next to her, helping her shove whatever lotions and shampoos they could find.

"It's not my business anyway but I gotta say, he has been easier to be around since you've been here." Glenn told her, smiling easily as she smiled back.

"He's not so bad."

They finished gathering up what they needed, Glenn watching her back while she grabbed the feminine products. He took the bag from her, noticing how she strained when she tried to pull it onto her back. The wound may not have hurt her when she wasn't moving but the second she lifted the bag, she felt it pull and it caused her to wince.

After he slung the bag onto his back, he took the lead and made his way to the front doors. He didn't realize he wasn't paying attention until Heather grabbed him, covering his mouth, and pulled him down to the ground. Her hand remained as she whispered to him quietly, telling him to keep his mouth shut.

When she removed her hand, she grasped his arm and, sliding along the ground, she backed against the wall, pulling him with her. He didn't see what had startled her but he felt his heart racing anyway.

"There's someone out there." she told him under her breath, noticing how frightened he looked.

"How do you know?" he asked, his hands shaking.

"There's a car outside. When we got here, there was no car." she explained, steadying her breathing as she tried to figure out what they would do.

She didn't trust people, which Glenn had gathered by how quickly she managed to hide from whoever was outside. They were both fast and he knew that if something were to happen, running would be their best bet.

"Stay here." she ordered him, taking in a breath before she slid away from the wall, keeping her head down so no one could see her through the windows.

Glenn wanted to object but he couldn't find his voice as he saw her carefully pulling herself against the wall. He was amazed at how quiet she could be.

Heather situated herself by a display of cat treats, leaning her bat against the wall as she twisted her body around. She peeked her head over the window and checked their surroundings. Her eyes landed on the vehicle that was parked by theirs, finding the dirty SUV eerily familiar.

She froze momentarily, seeing a man step around from their car, his black hair matted against his head. He didn't look familiar to her but when he yelled out to the whoever he was with, she realized she had heard his voice before. Her and Rick had run into these guys before.

_"Ain't no one 'round 'ere." _the man spoke in choppy english, the shotgun attached to his hands more than fitting for the way he looked.

Heather watched as another man appeared from the opposite side of the SUV, a hunting rifle pulled over his shoulder. She didn't recognize him either but when he spit the tobacco from his mouth, she could suddenly smell him.

_"Take carea it." _he growled, shaking his head before he climbed into the SUV.

The greasy man pulled knife out of his pocket and leaned down, stabbing it into the front tire of Shane's car. Heather felt herself sighing when he went around and popped all four of the tires.

"Fuck." she breathed, shaking her head.

Glenn could feel the tension in the store but he kept his mouth shut, not wanting to bring any unwanted attention to himself. He waited for Heather to come back to him, which she did after a few minutes. She didn't look happy about whatever had happened.

"We gotta go." she told him, her voice still low, "You think you can run with that bag right now?"

Glenn only nodded, his voice catching in his throat.

"C'mon then, we gotta go now."

"Wait, what happened?" he asked her, feeling pathetic by how shaky his voice was.

"We don't have a car to get back to the farm and if we want to make it back by nightfall, we have to leave now." she briefly explained, not wanting to scare him with any other details.

She would tell Rick what had happened, knowing he was the only one would know what to do.

Glenn nodded again, licking his lips nervously before he pulled the bag onto his shoulder. Heather told him to remain on the ground, in case the other people were still in the town. She figured the store had to have a back exit and after a few minutes of searching, she found the emergency exit.

She hesitated on the handle, trying to figure out if the alarm would go off even with no power. With one quick push, the door swung open without making a sound, and she motioned for Glenn to follow. She guessed it would take them a few hours on foot, if they didn't stop at all.

After they started running side by side, Heather started to think she was bad luck.


	24. Chapter 24

**Next chapter!  
Thank you for the reviews! They're definitely speeding up this process!**

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Time passed slowly for Daryl, the supposedly easy task of relaxing for a day too much for him to handle. He spent the first half of the morning cleaning his crossbow, thinking it would take more than two hours to get it looking brand new, but after the hours dragged by, he grew annoyed there was nothing else to do.

Andrea had gone to his tent merely minutes after Heather and Glenn had left, apologizing for the accident which bound him to a bed. He accepted begrudgingly, discovering he had no reason to be mad at her. She was just doing her part to protect the group. He couldn't say he wouldn't have done the same thing.

After she left, handing him a book he only flipped through, he laid back for a nap. He wasn't expecting to fall asleep so quickly and when he woke up, it had just started getting dark. He could smell food cooking and though his body still hurt, he pulled his boots on and headed to the picnic table.

He looked around the small camp area, squinting when he didn't spot Glenn or Heather anywhere around still. The worry that immediately shot through his body was abrupt and Daryl forced it away, telling himself he didn't care why either of them weren't back yet.

He frowned deeply when he realized it was a lot easier to say he didn't care than it was for him to ignore the fact that she still wasn't back.

Carol was the first to greet him as he placed himself on the bench, nodding at Rick who sat across from him. Daryl could tell he was worried, the crease between his eyebrows deepening as he looked past the fence to the dirt road, looking for Shane's car.

"Ya said they were fast." Daryl commented, keeping his voice low as Carol moved around him, clearing the area for the dinner plates.

Rick smiled bitterly and shook his head, "They sure fooled me, didn't they?"

Daryl didn't find humor in the situation, ducking his head down to shove his thumbnail into his mouth. He heard Carol laugh quietly behind him.

"They're young still," she said quietly, "maybe they just got...distracted."

Her tone was bordering playful and Daryl felt himself tense up at the implication. He clenched his fist under the table, breathing through his nose as he tried to tell himself it didn't even matter. She wasn't anything to him.

But then why was he so angry at the thought of Glenn with her?

He rose quickly and turned away from the table, not wanting to blow up in front of anyone, his anger always got him into trouble. He stalked off to his tent, needing to clear his head.

TWDTWDTWDTWD

The run back to the farm was taking a lot longer than Heather had estimated it to. Her and Glenn took small breaks, discovering that even though fall was getting closer, the days were still so humid it was hard to breathe. They drank the water in small doses, not knowing how much longer it would take to get back to the farm.

"Are you sure we're going in the right direction?" Glenn asked her, the rifle at his side as he breathed heavily.

Heather nodded, reaching into her bag to pull out a protein bar. She handed it to Glenn, who thanked her and ate it quietly. The way to the farm was a straight shot from the town. They ran through the woods just off the highway, keeping hidden as they trudged through the dense trees.

There had been more than a few walkers, which they took down quietly and quickly. Heather found that it was easy to communicate with Glenn nonverbally and she figured that's why they managed to stay as quiet as they did.

"I'd say we have just a few more miles." she told him, pulling the bag back onto her back.

Her shoulder was on fire from swinging her bat and her limp had gotten even worse on their journey, but she was still able to keep a steady pace beside Glenn and she never had to ask him to slow down.

"Do you think Shane's going to be mad?" Glenn wondered as they started jogging.

He heard Heather let out a winded laugh.

"He always finds something to get mad about." she stated, nodding her head.

She was still smiling as their speed picked up and the trees began to spread out, making it easier for them to go faster. They remained quiet again while they covered ground, their breathing heavy and hard as they got closer to the farm. After nearly 30 minutes, Heather almost collapsed when she saw the dirt road that led to the driveway of the farm.

The sun was almost down and she shook her head at the thought that it had taken them somewhere close to 4 hours to get back to the farm. She slowed her pace to a walk, wincing at the pain that pierced her back every time she stepped down on her foot.

Glenn walked beside her, reaching for the bag she held. He took it from her, noticing how her limp was more pronounced that it normally was. He felt bad he hadn't offered to carry it most of the way. After they had taken the first break in the woods, she continued carrying it.

"What are we going to tell them?" Glenn questioned as they got closer to the farm, Andrea's yell that they were back barely heard through the wind.

Heather took in a deep breath and turned to him. He had done a good job of not questioning anything as they made their way back and she knew it was only a matter of time before he would want to know what was going on. She had already worked out most of the details in her head.

"I need to talk to Rick first before we decide what we're going to do. For now, we'll just tell them the car wouldn't start. I don't want to scare anyone without knowing what to do about it first. Can you do that?"

Glenn swallowed and nodded, wanting to tell her he wasn't good at keeping secrets. He held it in, seeing how Rick and Shane were making their way over to them. He wasn't sure if he could do it, but he nodded again.

"What happened?" Shane asked them, his eyes moving back and forth between them.

"Car wouldn't start." Glenn told him, his voice shaky from both the exhaustion of the run and the nervousness of having to lie.

Shane pressed his lips together and lifted his chin up, looking at the younger man. Glenn felt little under his stare, emasculated, so he tried to smile before he pushed past Shane.

"Rick, I need to talk to you." Heather said softly, grabbing onto his wrist as she looked at Shane, "Alone."

He noticed the emphasis she put on the last word as she spit it out and he could only grimace as he walked away. Rick was looking at her, his eyes narrowed as she parted her mouth to talk.

"There was someone in the town with us." she started, waiting for a reaction. When there was none, she continued. "Remember that night at the school? It was the same SUV."

Rick's eyes widened as he brought his hand to his mouth, tracing the outline of his bottom lip as he looked away from her. She knew he was trying not to panic, the barely noticeable scar on his temple was all the remembrance he needed.

"Are you sure?" he pushed, turning back to her.

She nodded, "Positive. They slashed the tires on Shane's car so we ran back."

Rick nodded as well, thinking it over in his mind. He didn't know what to do or even where to start.

"I told Glenn not to tell anyone what happened until you decide what needs to be done."

He thanked her silently, letting his hand rest on her shoulder for a moment as he bit down on his lip.

"We'll go into town tomorrow, get the tires fixed and sweep the town again." he said slowly, as if the plan was still being formulated, "how many were there?"

"Two."

He nodded again and sighed, running a hand through his hand.

"Just keep it quiet for now. Get something to eat, get some sleep and we'll regroup in the morning. You have first watch." he informed her, motioning for her to follow.

She kept behind him until they hit the front yard, then she turned and limped to her tent. She passed Daryl's, turning her head to see he was already looking through the open flap, his eyes narrowed at her. He saw the pained expression she had as she tried to smile at him and then crawled into her tent.

Once she got herself situated on the floor of her tent, she pulled the collar of her shirt down and removed the bandage. One of her stitches had broke and there was blood drenching her skin. She reached for a clean cloth and a bottle of water, carefully cleaning the area around the split skin.

After a few minutes of trying to clean it without pain, she let out a frustrated breath and threw the cloth down. Her entire body was sore and she was starting to regret even offering to go out for the day. She kept the fabric from her shirt away from the wound, searching around her tent for any sort of pain medication. She found one aspirin and quickly swallowed it without the water, closing her eyes when she moved to fast and her body began screaming at her.

She leaned back on her sleeping bag, wishing there was more support from the ground, her back not agreeing with the hard surface as she laid down. She breathed in deeply, hearing footsteps outside of her tent. There was a rapping on the outside of the flap, a dead give away.

"Come in." Heather said, not bothering to sit up as Daryl crouched to see in.

She lifted her head slightly, watching how he warily moved inside the tent, scooting to the wall furthest away from her.

"Ya guys took long enough." he mumbled, trying not to think about the suggestion Carol had made.

"Ran into a bit of car trouble." she answered vaguely.

"Sure that's all?" he asked, instantly regretting his question. He could tell when she answered that that had, in fact, been all and he was embarrassed he had thought otherwise.

He kept his eyes away from hers as he looked around. When he finally looked to her, she saw how his eyes went directly to the uncovered wound, still bleeding and still suffering.

"Ya gonna clean that up?" he asked her, his voice sounding tired as he sniffed.

"It hurts too bad. I'm waiting for this aspirin to kick in." she explained to him, laying her head back down on her pillow.

She saw him nod as he leaned his head down, chewing lightly on the flesh of his finger. Her heart sped up slightly when he lifted his eyes back to hers, pulling his hand away from his mouth.

"What happened?" Daryl asked, letting his shoulders drop as he tried to relax his body.

She smirked and shook her head, knowing she couldn't tell him what had actually happened. She knew he also wouldn't believe the lie everyone else so easily would.

"I really don't want to get into it now." she said quietly, breathing in heavily as she pushed herself up with her arm, "I'll tell you about it later?"

He was confused by the question in his voice, only able to agree with her with the nod of his head. It felt like she was asking his permission, the promise in her words clear with the way she smiled at him.

"Do ya need help?" he pointed to her shoulder.

She hesitated, the pain still intense, but nodded anyway. Daryl scooted closer to where she was, placing himself inches away from as he picked up the cloth she had thrown in her fit of rage. His movements were jerky and she could see that he was uncomfortable being that close to her.

"Jus' don't try an' kiss me again." he stated, the words coming out quietly and unsure though he meant to make it a command.

He looked at her, the smile on her lips slowly spreading before she snorted and looked away from him. He felt his face turn pink as he gripped the cloth in his hands. He hadn't meant it as a joke but from the sound of her quietly laughing, he couldn't help but smile as well.

"With that sense of humor, you're lucky I'm not trying to kiss you right now." she told him, turning back towards him.

He didn't say anything as he gritted his teeth and took in a deep breath. He didn't consider himself lucky, especially for that reason and he frowned.

Heather noticed his sudden change in demeanor and titled her head down, picking up a bottle of water and handing it to him. He took it from her without touching her hand and took the cap off. Once he had the cloth wet, he reached out towards her and, as carefully as possible, starting cleaning the area around the wound she wasn't able to.

Tears stung her eyes but she held them in, turning her head away from him as he lifted the bottle of water up to her shoulder and gently poured a little over it, rinsing the excess blood away. He finished cleaning it up, using the dry end of the cloth to finish up.

He looked at her again before he set the cloth down and climbed out of her tent. She sat by herself, taking in shaky breaths as the dull sensation in her arm slowly dwindled. After a few minutes, Daryl climbed back into the tent, carrying a blanket with him.

"What's that for?" she asked, her eyes following him as he laid it down on top of her other blanket.

"Rick said it's been gettin' cold at night." he explained faintly.

She nodded and smiled.

"Thank you." she touched the blanket, feeling the thickness.

He sat back, holding open his hand. He had grabbed a few more painkillers and antibiotics for her, along with the blanket, his forced lack of caring not obvious to Heather.

"Ain't gotta thank me." he growled, leaning forward with his hand open, "Jus' take 'em and go to sleep."

Heather took the pills from him and smiled again.

"Are you staying in here tonight?" she questioned, her voice sounding hopeful, which only made Daryl's stomach drop and his heart beat faster.

He didn't want to appear eager, having thought about her and Glenn just hours before but he couldn't stop his head from nodding. She looked pleased, even happy, and he felt a sense of relief wash over his body.

To keep him from getting awkward and uncomfortable, she kicked off her shoes and laid back on her sleeping bag, pulling the blanket Daryl had given her, over her body. She held it up and scooted over, giving him enough room to get under the blanket without touching her at all.

Once he was situated, she rolled onto her side, facing him, and closed her eyes. She woke up twice throughout the night; once when she hit her shoulder, the pain jolting through her, then again when Daryl moved by her. She kept her eyes closed as his fingers traced the scar on her face before he leaned in towards her, letting his lips brush along her temple.


	25. Chapter 25

When Heather woke up the next morning, she found that Daryl was no longer in her tent and the sky had turned a light orange, indicating morning was approaching. She breathed in, the events of the previous day entering her mind, bringing a headache that was sudden and painful.

After she rubbed the sleep from her eyes and forced herself to a sitting position, she heard Rick's voice near her tent. She sighed and pulled her shoes on, knowing he was coming to get her for watch. Not even a minute later, she heard him tap on her tent before opening the flap and peeking inside.

"You awake?" he smiled at her, the sleep in his own eyes weighing his eyelids.

"About as much as I can be." she shook her head, wishing she could just go back to sleep, "What are the plans for the day?"

Rick scratched at his chin and looked away from her, the haphazard plan still needing tweaks before he was certain about anything.

"After breakfast, you and I will take the truck into town and fix the tires on Shane's car. We'll try to keep it quiet, no use in spooking everyone here." he told her, biting down on his lip.

Heather nodded and laced up her shoes, waiting for Rick to stand before she crawled out of her tent, keeping pressure off her arm that seemed to be getting worse everyday.

She followed him to the front of the camp, looking on top of the RV to see Shane smiling down at her. She offered a small smile and continued on to the picnic, smelling whatever Carol had been up cooking. She was only slightly surprised when she saw Daryl already sitting down, a plate in his hands. He looked up at her and nodded once, as he always did.

She sat down at the end furthest from him, aware of how Carol appeared to hover around him, her actions coming off territorial. Heather wanted to ask him about him, but she figured it was none of her business so she looked down at her lap while the rest of the camp woke up and made their way to the table.

Once the plates were handed out and everyone started eating, Heather noticed how everyone seemed tense. Glenn kept looking up at here, the look on his face telling her he wanted to say something. He was agitated. She tilted her head down, her appetite becoming less and less of a problem as his uneasiness rubbed off on her.

She wanted to get away from the group, take her turn on the RV to do watch, anything but be around them. Rick sensed Heather's own nervousness and as a way to calm her down, he placed his hand on her shoulder and gave it a light squeeze. She breathed in deeply, the small action enough to lighten her nerves.

She turned to thank him but saw that Glenn was now standing, his eyes scanning anxiously over the group before he cleared his throat, waiting for everyone's attention. He hesitated, collecting his nerves, then spoke loud and surprisingly, clear.

"There's walkers in the barn." he stated, so calmly, Heather almost laughed, thinking he was joking.

Rick tensed up beside her and she could see Daryl set his plate down on his lap as Glenn tried to duck his head, no longer wanting to be the focus of attention.

Questions began flying back and forth between the group; how long had they been there? Why hadn't anyone else known about it? Does Hershel know what's going on?

Heather continued eating her food, not feeling the panic that seemed to control the rest of the group. She saw Shane climbing down from the RV, confused at the commotion and she took that as her chance to sneak away. He wouldn't be happy and if she guessed right, he would be making a scene.

She had just gotten her plate down onto the table when she felt Rick reach his hand out and grasp her wrist, keeping her in place. There was a moment of silence before Shane got to them and the real commotion started. He tossed the accusations around, blaming Rick for not paying closer attention. Heather almost lost it before Dale stepped in and said his piece, reminding Shane of who's farm it was.

"You knew about this?" Shane hissed at the old man, pointing his finger at him as he leaned in.

Dale didn't look at all bothered as he nodded his head, "I found out about it last night. I figured we could make it through the night, and I was right."

Heather had tuned most of the chatter out, noticing that Rick was slowly inching towards the barn. She sighed and pulled her wrist free, then started walking in the direction. Rick called her name, getting the attention of the rest of the group.

"You're worried about them being in there, I'm just going to see what's keeping them in." she told him, waving her hand behind her head as she continued walking.

There was a moment when the camp stood in shocked silence before they moved to follow her. Lori kept Carl at a safe distance as they met up with Heather.

The doors had been chained shut with not only a padlock, but also blocks of wood that held the doors together. It seemed pretty solid, which satisfied Heather as she shrugged to where Rick was standing.

"I don't think they're getting out." she stated, trying to ignore Shane's sighs of protest.

"We can't be sure of that, Rick." he argued, shaking his head.

"Nah, man, she's right." Daryl stepped in, nodding at the barn, "Those chains ain't comin' loose any time soon."

Rick took in a breath as he looked around at the people in the camp, they were all looking at him for what they were supposed to do next.

"Let's set up a watch down here, every few hours we'll switch out." he concluded, turning his head back to Shane, "Since you're so worried about it, you can take first watch."

The second Rick had begun to walk away in search of Hershel, Heather grabbed her bat and headed for the RV. Dale had already made it there, trying to get away from Shane, and he greeted her as she climbed up the ladder.

He waited until she had gotten herself adjust before he attempted any sort of conversation with her.

"What are you feelings on the matter? You didn't seem too troubled by it." Dale asked her, handing her the binoculars he was holding onto.

Heather shrugged and breathed in, keeping her focus away from the group.

"We didn't know they were there until Glenn said something. To me, it doesn't seem like that big of a threat." she told him, shaking her head as she felt herself smile, "I'd say if the locks weren't on that door, that'd be a whole different story. But they're there and we're still here."

Dale digested her statement, nodding his head.

"Hershel thinks these people are sick, not dead. We can't just go in there, guns blazing, because we disagree with him." he sighed, "I know Rick can see it that way, Shane's the one we're going to have trouble with."

Heather agreed, "I think as long as he stays down there, we won't have to worry about him."

A silence passed over them and Heather could see that Dale was deep in thought, not one to be bothered. He rose without a word and climbed down the ladder.

She was alone until a shadow passed over her and Daryl took a seat next to her. He had his crossbow out on his lap and he handed her a bottle of water. She thanked him quietly and sighed.

"What's stopping you from going in there and wiping them out right now?" Heather asked him, noticing how he kept glancing towards the barn.

The sudden image of the things in the barn being out in the camp, attacking her, made Daryl wince and look down to his hands. He didn't need to be reckless.

"Rick said he was gonna get it figured out." he told her.

She turned back to the fields and quietly hummed to herself as Daryl sat silently beside her. Time went on and she only felt more comforted by his silence, letting herself relax in his presence.

"When did you leave?" Heather questioned, knowing she wouldn't have to explain fully for him to understand what she meant.

"Early," he replied quietly, "Rick came to wake you up a lot earlier."

She turned her head to him, the look on his face telling her Rick had seen something and it made him uncomfortable. As always, she knew Daryl would have an excuse that would explain him being in her tent.

"Gimme your bat." Daryl ordered without warning, holding his hand out.

She hesitated, having had it the entire time the world was gone. It was dear to her.

"I ain't gonna do anythin' bad to it." he assured her, pulling his hand back as she looked at him.

"Just be careful with it," she said, handing it to him, "It was my dad's."

Daryl took the bat from her and paused before he turned away and climbed down from the RV. He had just left when Shane stomped angrily over to her.

"You seen Dale?" he asked her, tilting his head up. He placed his hand on his brow, blocking out the sun as he squinted up at her.

She shook her head.

"Not for awhile." she said, sensing the tension in his body.

"Rick?"

She shook her head again, frowning this time when she realized she hadn't seen Rick in awhile.

"What's going on?" she wondered, leaning over the edge of the RV to get a closer look.

Shane bit down on his lip and shook his head, the calm demeanor he kept annoying her. She could tell he was fighting internally with himself over something he was too stubborn to bring up in front of anybody.

"Just do me a favor and find Rick, will ya?" he asked her, squinting again before he turned around, "This needs to be handled right now."

Heather sighed, knowing exactly what he was talking about, and began her search for Rick. She climbed down the RV and saw Lori standing with Carol by the front of the house. If anyone knew where Rick was, it had to be Lori.

The woman smiled at Heather as walked up to them, the stress visible on her face though she tried to hide it. Heather nodded and took in a deep breath.

"Have you seen Rick?" she asked Lori, watching how she pressed her lips together and looked to the ground.

"He was with Hershel about 20 minutes ago. I haven't seen them since." Lori told her, shrugging her shoulders and shaking her head.

Heather nodded again, her attention diverted from Lori when she noticed Carol was staring hard at her. The older woman looked troubled by something and for a moment, it looked like she could've been glaring. Heather brushed it off and turned away from the two women, getting all the answers she had come for.

Not knowing what else to do or where to go, Heather spotted Andrea by the barn and started heading over towards her, finding that she hadn't conversed much with the woman since they'd been at the camp. She had always come off as intimidating to Heather, her cold exterior no doubt just a shield she used to keep people back.

Shane came out of the woods then, making himself known as he hollered to the group. Heather stopped in her tracks when she saw he was carrying Rick's bag of guns, the largest one being held in his hands. Lori immediately shook her head and started arguing with Shane.

He began shouting, setting the bag of guns on the ground as he angrily lifted his hand and pointed to the barn. His words weren't clear but Heather could see how serious the situation was getting as Daryl stepped up and Shane shoved a shotgun into his arms.

There was confusion and anger as the group, led by Shane, headed over to the barn. Maggie was yelling at Shane, her cries ignored the second Rick stepped out of the woods with Hershel, both of them leading walkers right into the camp.

The reaction from Shane frightened everyone as he continued screaming at Rick, shooting his gun, and then he finally snapped. Heather grabbed Lori's arm and pulled her away, her grip tight as the woman held onto Carl tightly.

When Heather turned back to the action, Shane was beginning to break the locks on the barn, unaware of the devastation he was causing. Heather saw the small group of people surround the front of the barn, their weapons drawn as Shane stepped back and pulled his own gun up. She grasped the handgun she always carried on her, hidden from view, and took her place next to Daryl.

Without thinking, he held his arm out and pushed her back, only wanting to keep her out of danger. She brushed his hand away and stood her ground, her blood pumping as the walkers began coming.

It couldn't have lasted more than two minutes, their gunfire quick and mostly accurate as they shot each one that dragged themselves out of the barn. When it was over, the only noises that could be heard was Maggie and her sister, Beth, on the ground next to Hershel, trying to comfort him through their own tears.

Heather lowered her gun and took a step back, regretting her decision to fire her weapon. Daryl turned to her, his eyes wide, and then they heard the sound.

There was a small growl and the dragging of feet and when Heather turned back to the barn, she heard Carol let out a cry and she knew, this was the little girl they had been looking for. She stepped out of the barn and took tiny steps, her eyes squinting in the sunlight, the last human reaction she would have.

Carol ran forward and before she could pass where Heather was standing, Daryl reached out and grabbed her, holding onto her body tightly as the both slid to the ground. Her sobs were heart breaking and Heather felt herself tune out from what was going on, her body numb from shock. Daryl looked up at her and she was rocked, the evidence of how badly this affected him clear on his face.

Rick stepped up, hesitating before he took the gun from Heather's limp hand, his lips pressed into a frown as he held the gun up to Sophia's forehead and fired.


	26. Chapter 26

**After a brief delay, here's the next chapter!**

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The gun felt heavy in Rick's hand as he lowered it to his side. His body was warm, the ringing in his ears quieted to a gentle humming that still didn't calm him. He swallowed, the dryness in his throat making it hard to catch a breath. Sophia lay on the ground in front of him, black blood pouring from the wound he had caused.

He felt sick when he finally looked up and saw Carol staring helplessly at him, anger no longer in her eyes as the realization of the situation found it's place in her gut. He wanted to apologize to her, for everything, but he found he couldn't speak.

There was a silence as Daryl helped the grief stricken woman to her feet, his empty words sounding forced, Rick didn't blame him, it was hard to find meaning in anything recently. No one tried to stop her when she pushed away from Daryl's loose grasp and took off in the direction of the RV.

Rick felt a nagging in the back of his head, his mind telling him he needed to go talk to Carol, set things straight and least of all, properly apologize. He took in a deep breath and looked to his side, noticing how Heather had taken her place next to him. She hesitated before she reached her hand out and took her gun back from him, trying to avoid the pained look on his face as she placed it into the waist of her jeans.

"I should've known." he said quietly, shaking his head as he looked around at the group of people. They looked defeated.

"There was no way you could have known, Rick. This isn't your fault." Heather told him, exhaling.

She watched the younger Greene girl, Beth, stand by her fallen father before trying to calm her crying. With shaky footsteps, she walked over to one of the bodies on the ground. Heather could only assume this was the wife that Hershel had mentioned previously, Beth's mother.

Beth leaned down, still crying, and touched the corpse. Before she could react, the walker's arms shot up and grabbed Beth, the snarls snapping everyone out of their daze. Shane was the first to react, grabbing Beth and pulling her back while T-Dog and Glenn kicked at the walker. Andrea quickly found a pick axe and buried it deep into the walker's head.

Maggie helped Hershel up and they began walking back to the house, the old man's shock silencing him. Shane started following after them, his posture telling Heather he wanted answers. She saw Rick turn in his spot and chase after them, intent on keeping Shane away from Hershel until he figured out what was going to happen.

"We've been out, we've been combin' these woods lookin' for her and she was in there all along." Shane started his voice rising as Heather caught up with them, "You knew..."

"Leave us alone." Maggie told him, shaking her head.

"Shane, just stop man." Glenn sighed, turning his head towards him.

Rick reached out and grabbed at Shane's arm, trying to pull him back, but Shane yanked his arm out of Rick's grasp and glared at him.

"Get your hands off me." he spoke harshly, turning back to Hershel, "You knew and you kept it from us."

"I didn't know." Hershel finally said, his voice sounding weary and strained.

"That's bullshit." Shane continued, "I think you all knew."

Maggie turned around this time, the cold stare in her eyes enough to stop Heather in her tracks. She hadn't even wanted to follow them but she felt an urge to help Rick.

"We didn't know." Maggie stated.

Shane just shook his head and it took all of Heather's self control to not just kick him between the legs.

"Why was she there?"

Shane finally stopped, waiting for Hershel to answer as he stood on the steps leading into the house. When Hershel spoke, Heather could hear the honestly in his voice and she didn't understand why Shane couldn't just accept it. He explained that Otis had been the one to bring the walkers into the barn and it must have happened before he was killed.

But Shane still didn't buy it. He stepped forward and licked his bottom lip.

"What do I look like? Do I look like an idiot to you?"

Heather grabbed his arm this time, noticing how he didn't bother pulling away from her. Rick looked back at her and motioned with his head for her to take him away. Hershel seemed to have the same idea.

"Get him off my land!"

Shane stepped forward again and started talking, his voice low and menacing. It would've affected Hershel but Maggie stepped in and swung her hand, slapping Shane across the cheek. He took in a breath and looked at her.

"Haven't you done enough?" she asked him, before turning around and walking into the house.

Hershel followed her and Glenn hesitated, taking a look at them before he too, walked into the house.

Shane was breathing hard, his chest rising and falling roughly as he tried to calm down. Heather grabbed his arm again, knowing he would want to release that anger on Rick, who looked about ready to break.

"C'mon." Heather said, tugging at his arm.

He turned around and took a few steps with her, waiting until her hand dropped to her side before he kept a steady pace. He didn't question what she was doing or where they were going, he realized she was just trying to keep everyone as calm as they could be.

"I didn't want it to be like that." he told her as they walked past the tents.

Heather saw that Daryl was watching them, his eyes narrowed as they passed the RV and made it to the dirt road.

"How did you want it to be, Shane? Were you expecting Hershel to thank you?" she wondered, looking down to the ground when Daryl caught her eye.

She heard Shane breathe in deeply, hesitating on his foot before they continued walking through the grass.

"You knew what the consequences would be." she told him, thinking that if they were away long enough, he could calm down and think rationally about what he did.

"Yeah," Shane agreed, nodding his head, "I knew. I was trying to keep everyone safe."

"Seems to me like you've done quite the opposite." Heather said, pointing to a fallen log that was just a few feet inside the wooded area they had reached, "We have shelter here, food, water. If you knew the consequences, why did you think getting everyone kicked off the land would keep them safe?"

Shane felt his anger rising again and he forced himself to sit down next to her. If there was one thing he liked about her, it was her ability to insult someone in the nicest way. He understood she didn't sugar coat anything she said to him because she knew he could take it.

"They were a threat." he stated calmly, shaking his head.

Heather nodded once, biting down on her lip. She didn't want to press him anymore, he would always think what he did was right no matter how much she told him otherwise.

"So what's your plan?" she asked him quietly, watching how he couldn't keep his hands still.

He shrugged, exhaling heavily as his lips curled into an unknowing smile.

"I guess this is my opportunity to get going." he sighed, turning his head towards her, "You think about it anymore?"

Heather looked away from him and shook her head, the thought of leaving with him far from her mind. She hadn't thought about it since the night he had brought it up and even now, she wasn't sure if that's what she should do.

"I haven't." she admitted.

Shane didn't say anything as he nodded, trying to think of he could do next. He could use the chance to try and make it on his own, like he'd been planning, but he didn't feel confident about his decision. He knew he would need someone to go with him, someone who knew what they were doing. Heather was his best choice, he just had to pull her away from Rick.

"Rick's most likely gonna get everything sorted out with Hershel, but we both know I'm not gonna be welcome here anymore," Shane started, keeping his voice low as he spoke to her, as if someone could hear him talking, "Things are gonna be strained at the farm now, everyone's real tense. You have no serious connections with anyone there, except Rick, but he has his family to worry about now. Just come with me."

Heather bit down on her lip as Daryl crossed her mind for a split second, making her feel stupid for even thinking it would bother him if she left. Shane was right, her connections were limited and if tensions were running high at the farm, something bad was bound to happen.

"Let me just get some things figured out with Rick," Heather told him, trying not to sound like she was promising anything as she stood, "_If, _I happen to go with you, I want to at least leave them prepared."

Shane stood as well, his smile hard to stop as he looked down at Heather. She seemed uncertain and even nervous while her hands fiddled with the gun she was trying to hold onto.

"I meant what I said, I'd have your back." he said softly, trying to assure her, keep her thinking it was a good idea for her to go with him even if he wasn't sure himself.

"Let's just get back to the farm." she said, nodding as she pushed past him and started walking.

The sky had begun turning a dull orange by the time they made it back to the farm, the sun in it's early stages of setting. Shane had calmed down, which was a mild success for Heather as they parted ways once they got to the small dirt road. He went in search of Rick while she headed for the RV, wanting to take over whoever's turn it was for watch. She stopped when she turned towards her tent and saw Daryl's was no longer next to hers.

She looked around the yard and saw that he had set it up past the dirt road, next to an old tree. She could see him standing outside of it, Carol with him. His posture was ridged and she noticed Carol wasn't moving either. It looked awkward but before she could even turn away, Carol had started walking back towards her own tent. Heather stood still as the older woman walked by her, tears visible in her eyes.

The only thing that kept her in place, was the way Daryl turned towards her and glared before he stepped into his tent, and even that was only momentary. She took in a deep breath, remembering the look on his face as Sophia stepped out of the barn and made her way to where he was now standing, the glare still on his face as she got closer to him.

"I came out here to get away from ya'll." he growled, narrowing her eyes as she stood in front of him.

She could see that he was angry, the grimace he wore was intimidating and she found her breathing troubled. He was waiting for her to say something, his patience wearing thin as she met his eyes.

"You shouldn't be so far away from everyone. It's not safe." she told him, feeling herself turn pink at how pathetic her voice sounded.

He scoffed and turned around, throwing his hand in the air.

"Get outta here." he said.

Heather didn't move, her stubbornness getting in the way of her option of leaving. She knew he was hurting but she also knew he wouldn't allow her to help him in any way. In her mind, the only way she could let him know she wanted to help him, was to stay in place.

Daryl turned back around, his face unreadable as he stared at her. He took a step forward and she could see his hand balled into a fist, the veins popping out on the back of his hand.

"What're ya waitin' for?" he asked, shaking his head, "I said, get outta here."

Heather shook her head this time, "I heard what you said but I don't think you heard what I said."

He took another step forward and narrowed his eyes, his chest rising with heavy breaths. She didn't know how Daryl reacted when he was pushed to his limits, but she could tell he had a lot of issues with anger and from the way he kept his fists balled tightly, she knew he must of reacted with fighting. It made her nervous but she kept in mind she wasn't trying to make him snap.

"What do ya want from me?" he questioned, his voice quiet as he stared at her.

"I want you to come back up there with the rest of us." she said, swallowing loudly.

"Why?"

"I don't want you to be alone."

He mulled the words over in his head, not knowing how to interpret them. She had made it obvious she didn't think it was safe for him, yet he wanted her to say something more.

"Come back with me."

His face felt warm as the words left her mouth, his hand twitched at his side. He took in a shallow breath and looked down to his feet, trying to hide his flushed face. He felt himself giving in.

She reached out and grasped his wrist lightly, scared he would just pull away. When he didn't move his hand at all, she pulled at it gently and looked up at him.

"You can stay with me tonight." she offered, "Neither of us has watch in the morning."

Daryl hesitated before he nodded once, twisting his hand softly so he could pull it out of her light hold.

"I hafta stay out til Rick gets back." he said after a moment, wincing as he looked away from her.

Rick, Glenn, and T-Dog had gone after Hershel once they noticed him missing from the farm. Since neither her nor Shane were around, Rick left Daryl in charge which made him feel important and irritated at the same time.

"You know where I'm staying." she told him, a small smile on her face as she looked up at him.

He nodded again, trying to figure out why it was so easy for her to get him to change his mind. Carol had begged him to come back and after yelling at her for a few minutes, he found he wanted to stay away from the group even more. Heather barely had to ask him and he had already decided otherwise.

She didn't linger after he didn't say anything, not wanting to make him even more uncomfortable. She knew she had crossed a boundary he didn't let many people cross and though he didn't complain, it was obviously new to him.

She headed back to the RV, seeing Dale on top of it, his binoculars pressed against his face. She could tell he was anxious about something.

"What's going on, Dale?" she called up to him, tilting her head in his direction.

"There's two sets of headlights coming this way. Rick only took one car." he explained to her.

She turned around, immediately thinking about Shane's car that had been ditched in the city. It would make sense for them to fix it if they had gone to the town in search of Hershel. Rick had told her not to say anything so she kept her mouth shut, waiting as the headlights came closer, hoping she was right.

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**So now here comes the fun stuff! As you all know, this is where Randall comes in. I have a few things planned out that did not happen in the show and a few that have. One of them that happened in the show, was Dale's death. What are your thoughts on him dying/not dying? I have things worked out for either way.**

Also, some big stuff happens between Heather and Daryl in the next couple of chapters. Some bad and some good but you'll get to see some things being set in stone.

Your input is appreciated!


	27. Chapter 27

The cars seemed to take forever to get to the farm and the longer they took, the more difficult it became for Heather to breathe properly. She saw, as they got closer, that she was right and they had fixed Shane's car while they were in the town. Rick pulled up first, the headlights getting the attention of everyone around the camp.

Daryl could tell something was off as he made his way to where the rest of the group had gathered around the cars, waiting for the men to get out. He watched as Rick got out of the car, meeting his eyes with a quick nod before he went around to the backdoor. Without thinking about it, he stood near Heather, his focus solely on what was in front of him.

Rick opened the backdoor and it was then that Hershel got out of the car as well, his head down as the second car came to a stop. There was a cold pause before Rick pulled someone out of the backseat, their eyes blindfolded and hand tied behind their back.

Daryl heard Heather breathe in quickly, sounding more like a quiet gasp than an intake of air. He turned his head towards her, suddenly tense as he watched her face pale.

Whoever Rick was holding onto, didn't bring Heather any comfort.

"Rick, who is that?" Andrea spoke up, taking Daryl's attention away from where Heather was staring hard at the figure.

"Prisoner." he replied calmly, pushing the guy in front of him while he started walking.

"He shot at us." Hershel added, turning his head away as Glenn and T-Dog got out of Shane's car.

As usual, Shane became livid but this time, Daryl noticed Heather didn't make any attempt to calm him down. She stood still, her eyes still glued to the man Rick was holding onto, her face rigid. He felt his eyes narrow as she reached into the waistband of her jeans, her hands grabbing the gun she had. She moved quickly, holding the gun outright while she took the few steps it took to get to where Rick was.

Everyone reacted at once; Rick pulled the prisoner out of the way of the gun, not knowing if Heather intended to shoot. Daryl grabbed onto her arms, surprised by how hard she fought against him as Shane took the gun from her. She didn't have to say anything, Daryl understood immediately.

"Calm down." he gritted into her ear, using all of his strength to keep her still as she continued to fight against his restraint.

"Rick, get him out of here!" Shane yelled at him, handing Andrea the gun as he turned back to Hershel, "You got anyone else with you?"

Seconds couldn't have passed before T-Dog opened the back door to Shane's car and pulled another person out. Daryl felt Heather stop moving, her breathing heavy as she nearly collapsed back against him. He continued holding onto her arms as Shane let out an unbelieving laugh. Daryl couldn't hear it though, he was too concentrated on the way Heather held onto his own arms, though he couldn't tell if she was trying to pull him closer or push him away.

"They shot at us." Glenn said quietly, "We couldn't just leave them there."

Heather couldn't explain the emotions that ran through her as she took in a deep breath and let her arms fall to her sides, aware that Daryl still held onto her firmly. She pushed back against him, clearing her throat.

"I'll take him." she said through a cracked voice, looking up at Shane.

He immediately shook his head, "After almost unloading your weapon on that last guy? Nah, don't need to give Rick another reason to be pissed at me. You know these guys?"

Heather moved away from Daryl, comforted by the way he held his hand at her lower back lightly, not saying a word as she took in another breath.

"Shane," she started, shaking her head, "that's my brother."

Shane turned his head and looked at her, his eyebrows raised in confusion. He shook his head again as he grabbed the guys arm, taking him away from T-Dog.

"You can go with me." he told her, walking forward with the guy.

Heather faltered a moment before she turned and looked at Daryl, not knowing what she was supposed to say. He nodded at her, letting his hand fall to his side. She pressed her lips together and followed after Shane, not looking back to see how Daryl was staring hard at her.

"This the guy you've been looking for?" Shane asked her as she matched his pace, looking up at her brother's face.

He had a blindfold on and as she looked closer, she could see that Rick had shoved a pair of headphones into his ears. If she concentrated, she could hear the loud music pouring into his ears.

She nodded, answering Shane's question.

"Do you know why he was with the other guy?" he questioned, quieting his tone as they got closer to the barn where Rick was now exiting.

"I don't." she shook her head, "I haven't seen him since before I even met Rick."

She understood he was questioning her because he didn't trust either of the guys Rick brought back, even if one was her brother. He knew they had shot at people from his group, people he needed to protect, and that was enough reason for him.

They stopped talking as Rick walked over to them, his head down before he looked up at Heather. He was disappointed, maybe even upset but she didn't acknowledge it.

"Did she try to shoot him too?" Rick asked Shane, placing his hands on his hips.

Despite the tension, Shane couldn't stop the smile as he shook his head.

"This is her brother." he stated, moving his head as he pulled at the prisoner's arm.

Rick breathed in deeply and found it hard to look up at her. He didn't want to tell her that her brother was trying to kill them and he was from a much larger group. He turned and trailed behind her and Shane, noticing how she stopped at the entrance to the barn, her body tensing when she saw the other guy.

"I got him tied up." he said quietly, reaching out to touch her shoulder as she nodded.

She walked into the barn, turning her body so she was facing the other prisoner, tied to the wall furthest from her. He was still blindfolded but she could see Rick had taken the headphones out of his ears. She kept her mouth shut as Shane tied her brother up on the opposite wall, taking the headphones out of his ears as well.

"You can't just keep me tied up here!" the prisoner was saying, his words sounding desperate as he fought against his restraints.

"You better keep your mouth shut or we'll do worse than just tie you up." Shane threatened him, taking a step in his direction.

Rick intervened, holding his arm out to keep Shane from moving any further. Heather remained silent, her eyes focused on her brother, who still hadn't said or done anything other than sit still with a stale look on his face. The other prisoner began talking again, cursing under his breath and begging for anyone to let him go. Shane almost stepped in again when her brother opened his mouth.

"Randall, keep it down."

Heather's stomach dropped when he spoke, an array of emotions crossing through her body. She saw Rick look at her and when he motioned to Shane, they stood close to her.

"I have to make sure you don't have a gun on you." Rick told her quietly, knowing she wouldn't be happy about his assumption that she would attempt to shoot one of them again.

She nodded her head, holding her arms out straight. Rick hesitated before he touched her, his hands quick as he patted around her body, breathing a sigh of relief when he came up empty handed. He grasped her shoulder lightly and pressed his lips together, watching how she kept her eyes looking ahead.

"We'll be just outside." he said, "don't do anything stupid."

She nodded again, not paying attention to when they left. Her heart was beating harshly, her breathing caught in her throat. Randall was still talking and she could tell her brother was getting restless as he leaned his head back against the pole Shane had tied him to. For months she had been searching for him, her last living relative, and now that he had been found, she didn't know what to say to him.

Heather adjusted her weight on her good leg, trying to stop herself from hyperventilating. Her head began to spin and when she saw her brother's lips curl into a smile, she felt her stomach heave. She turned on her heel and ran out of the barn, stopping outside the doors to unload her stomach onto the grass.

The cool air hit her face and she realized she was crying silently. Rick was at her side instantly, rubbing her back gently as she took in deep breaths.

"I'm fine." she told him, wiping at her face with the back of her hand before she pushed him away gently, not wanting to hurt his feelings.

She looked back at him and Shane, forcing a small smile before she slowly started walking to her tent. Her body was shaking, the uneven steps making it hard for her to stay in a straight line but she made it to her tent without catching anyone else's attention from camp. Dale and Andrea were on top of the RV and she could see them looking at her, but neither of them made an attempt to get down from their spots. She was grateful as she unzipped the flap to her tent.

Her movement halted when she looked into her tent, noticing someone had been in there. She almost panicked before she realized it had just been Daryl. Her bat was lying on her blankets, bright silver nails sticking through the thickest part and fresh tape wrapped around the handle. Next to it was a sheath that contained what she guess was either a large knife or a machete.

"Figured it wouldn't last much longer if ya kept usin' it for everythin'."

Heather jumped in shock, a gasp escaping past her lips as she felt her heart pick up speed again. She stood up, keeping her trembling hands at her side as she looked up at Daryl. He was looking down at her, his eyes squinting as he bit back a grimace.

"Ya alright?" he asked her, having been the only person who saw her running back to her tent.

He could tell her anxiety was controlling her movements and she was on the verge of tears though he wasn't sure how he would even start to comfort her, especially after the day everyone had had.

Heather nodded her head despite the fact and Daryl could only press down on his lips as he nodded as well.

"Thank you." she said quietly, looking down to the ground.

He nodded again, "Was that one of the guys?"

She didn't have to ask him to clarify to realize he remembered the story she had told him about the scar on her face. It was stupid, but she should have known he would put the pieces together and know why she was so upset. When she didn't answer him, Daryl brought his hand up to his mouth and bit down on his thumb, finding irritation from her silence.

"What's Rick gonna do?"

He saw her shrug her shoulders before she looked back up at him. Her eyes were red from holding back tears and from the few she had let slip earlier, and her face was still pale, the only indication something was wrong. Daryl sighed, the onset of a headache creeping through his head.

"If he had any mind, he would just let them go." Heather said softly, running a hand through her loose hair.

"Would you go with 'em?" Daryl couldn't stop the question before it came out and once the words were spoken, his gut dropped when he thought about her leaving.

"Not with Randall." she said his name bitterly and Daryl could see that she was still confused as to why her brother was with this man that had caused her harm.

He had figured she would leave with her brother now that they were reunited, but that thought didn't make him feel better either. It was an internal struggle for him to admit he would be bothered if she left with anyone other than him.

The anger he felt at not being able to control his feelings heated up his body and he began to clench his fists by his side. He knew she was troubled and the only thing he wanted to do was reach out and touch her, hold her close, make sure she understood he wouldn't let anything happen to her, but his insecurities took over his mind again and he stayed in place.

They were silent for a few seconds, just looking at each other, when a movement caught Heather's eye and she turned to see Glenn heading their way. She cleared her throat and looked to the ground, taking in a deep breath through her nose.

"Hey," Glenn greeted them, a small smile on his lips as he lifted his hand into a wave, "Rick wants to have a meeting. He said to gather by the picnic table."

Heather nodded and thanked him, waiting for him to walk away before she looked back up at Daryl. He was still looking at her and she wasn't sure if he had even looked away when Glenn was there.

"I'll be there in a minute if you want to go on ahead." she said, hoping he wouldn't question her.

When he turned around and walked away, she sighed in relief and ducked back down into her tent. Shane had made sure her gun was out of her reach but thanks to Daryl, she now had two deadly weapons at her disposal. She grabbed the machete and strapped it around her waist, smiling at how light it was.

She instantly felt safer and as she walked to the picnic table where the rest of the group had gathered, she finally felt herself calming down. Rick waited until she was still before he began to speak.

"Now, I know some of you are upset about a choice I've made today, but I want you to know that I did not do it without thought. When we got to the town, we were greeted by a few strangers who were looking for trouble. They were with a larger group and this was the only way to make sure we would be safe."

"What are you going to do with them?" Heather asked him, finding her voice as Rick turned her way.

She saw him breathe in and shrug his shoulders lightly, shaking his head.

"I suppose I'm going to need help with that one." he concluded, taking his eyes away from her, "We could question them and get information from them. Find out how large their group is and if they mean us any harm."

"Then what?" Lori interrupted her husband, shaking her head, "Rick, if you let them go, that could bring danger to the entire group."

"We're not going to just kill them, if that's what you're suggesting." Rick tried keeping the venom out of his voice but Heather could hear it as he turned to Lori, "We don't do anything until we know for sure nothing will happen to us."

"We're going to take turns watching the barn every few hours. They're tied up so it's not a major concern but if no one volunteers, I'll start picking people." Rick continued, turning his focus back to the rest of the group, "Tomorrow we'll talk to them and try to figure out where they came from."

He waited a moment for anyone to disagree but no one spoke up and he nodded before he headed back to the barn. Heather watched the group disperse slowly, their discouragement noticeable in the way they kept their heads down as they walked away. Andrea stood next to Heather, trying to smile as she held out her gun.

"Take this back. Don't let Shane know I gave it up willingly." Andrea told her, the smile disappearing as she nodded and turned away from Heather.

When everyone had left, she noticed that Daryl was the only person still standing with her, his eyes cast to the ground. He was deep in thought, his eyebrows furrowed as he frowned. She took a step forward, getting his attention as he turned his head towards her.

She thought he was going to say something but his mouth stayed shut as he walked over to her, stopping in front of her. His chest was rising and she tilted her head up, seeing him look around them, checking to make sure no one was around. She suddenly felt nervous as he looked down at her, his eyebrow still scrunched together, making him look as unsure as she felt.

He reached his hand up slowly, hesitating as he swallowed, before he gently touched the side of her face, hiding the scar beneath it. He held it there, his skin feeling rough, his fingers trembling against her cheek as he leaned his head down. She thought he was going to kiss her, which made her heart jump, but instead, he brought his lips to her forehead. He didn't press down at all but she could feel his lips move slightly, as if he was saying something, then he breathed in deeply and pulled away.

He let his hand fall to his side before he looked away from her. She could tell he was embarrassed by his actions so she didn't say anything as he took a step around her and walked away.

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**Ok, so after much thought, I've decided not to kill Dale off BUT someone else may have to take his place. :) Who do you think I'm going to kill off?**


	28. Chapter 28

**Quick update! Sorry for the delay, school's back in sesh so it's hard for me to get this done. But here's one that will hold you over for a few days. :)**

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Most of the group had settled in their tents, the night finally taking over what Daryl thought to be a rather eventful day. Rick had appointed Shane and Andrea to take watch on top of the RV while he tried to find someone to watch the barn. Heather had been the only one to volunteer at first and after Rick told her no, Daryl headed to the prisoner's chambers without a word.

Heather began to feel uncomfortable the longer she tried to keep herself busy, not wanting to think about how she still hadn't said anything to her brother and he was tied up and blindfolded inside of a dirty barn. He didn't even know she was there and more importantly, alive.

She wondered where he had been and if he had been so close all along, why had she never run into him? Many times she had had to hide from Randall's group since Atlanta and none of those times, she had seen her brother. It made her uneasy.

When she couldn't stand being inside her tent anymore, Heather got out and headed to where Rick was leaning over the picnic table. He was alone, which was something Heather needed. He didn't lift his head when she stepped over to him.

"I'm going to talk to my brother." she said quietly, tilting her head down to look at the map he was staring intently at.

She heard him breathe in deeply as he tapped his fingers against the wood table. He pulled his head up and looked at her, the exhaustion evident in his blue eyes.

"I don't know if that's such a good idea right now." he told her, shaking his head slightly while biting down on his lip, "You can in the morning."

"Rick, please." she begged him, "I haven't seen my brother in months. I at least need to explain to him why we have him tied up in there."

Rick shook his head again, "He knows why he's tied up in there, Heather. He shot at us and almost got us killed."

He stopped and looked at her, noticing how she wasn't moving, just simply staring back at him. He knew her mind wasn't going to be changed and the second he walked away, she would go straight to the barn. He sighed again and stood up, motioning with his hand to follow him. She fell into step behind him while he led her to the barn where Daryl was casually leaning against the car.

He turned around, hearing Rick's footsteps, and nodded once when he saw that Heather was right behind him. He had figured it was only a matter of time before she joined him at the barn, he just wasn't expecting Rick to bring her.

"Daryl, I don't want her going in there until morning," Rick starting, pointing to the closed doors of the barn, "I think I can trust you to go along with that."

Rick waited for Daryl to nod, which he did hesitantly when he saw Heather glaring at him.

"She can stay here and keep watch with you, but she is not allowed to go in there."

The orders were simple but Daryl felt an urge to go against what Rick was saying, mainly for the fact that the sheriff was completely ignoring the problem. Obviously, Rick was stressed and having to house two POW was the icing to his cake, Daryl just didn't understand why he was taking his frustrations out on the girl who just wanted to talk to her brother.

Daryl set his crossbow down on top of the beat up truck and crossed his arms, waiting patiently for Rick to leave. After speaking quietly to Heather for another minute, he finally did and Daryl could feel the air lighten. He tried to keep his mind on the task at hand, but he could only think about how he would react if someone was keeping Merle from him.

He sighed, pushing himself off the car. Heather was standing closer to the barn, her eyes on the door before her. He could see the longing in her face, one that was backed by determination. He knew he wouldn't be able to stop her anyway.

"Gimme your gun." he stated, holding his hand out in her direction.

She turned around and tried to act confused as she shook her head. Daryl had seen Andrea hand it back to her earlier and he figured that if she wanted to go talk to her brother, having a gun wasn't a good idea.

"I ain't stupid. Give it."

She frowned this time and lifted the heavy flannel she had no doubt taken from Rick. Her gun was placed comfortably in the waist of her pants. She pulled it out and handed it to Daryl.

"Gonna turn 'round for five minutes." he told her, taking the gun from her trembling hand, "Don't do anythin' stupid and this never happened."

She nodded and watched as he turned back to the car, grabbing his bow. He handed it to her, knowing that if she had planned on going in there with the intention of killing, she wouldn't be strong enough to work his bow. She took it from him, wincing at the weight in her arms.

Daryl walked past her and pulled open one of the doors, taking a step back. Heather adjusted the bow in her arms, trying not to show how heavy it really was, and took a step. He could tell she was unsure so he held up the flashlight he had and flipped it on, nodding to her.

"I'll be right here." he said, noticing how she nodded and held her head high as she stepped past him, as if his words were all the encouragement she needed.

Heather walked into the barn, ignoring the figure to her right as she turned to face her brother. His head was hung but when he heard someone else, he lifted it and just like he had earlier, he grinned. Heather felt a shudder course through her body before she leaned forward and removed his blindfold. Unlike she had reacted, he didn't seem surprised to see her.

"Hello little sister." he spoke lightly, taking in a deep breath, "I was wondering when you'd find me."

The words left his mouth and Heather felt herself tense, turning her head back to where Daryl was shining the flashlight on her. She wanted to leave then.

"Where have you been, James?" she asked him, looking down to the ground in front of her, anywhere but at him.

"I'm really glad you're safe." he ignored her question, his voice low as he kept talking, "I was sure that gun shot had killed you."

Whatever illusion she had been holding onto was shattered and she felt the color drain from her face. How did he know about that? Other than the guy that shot her, it had only been her and Daryl in that town, as far as she knew.

"What are you talking about?" she swallowed the lump in her throat, the dryness making it hard for her to breathe.

James was smiling at her, almost a mirror image of her own smile. She heard Randall behind her, crying out to whoever was there with them. She was frozen in place as she waited for her brother to answer, but as Randall's cries got louder, she realized he wasn't going to say anything.

She had made a mistake when she entered the barn. James had always been secretive and everything he did had reason behind it. She became aware of little instances in her recent past that hinted to her brother's whereabouts, things she had looked past out of her own paranoia. How Randall's group always seemed to be right behind her or one step in front of her. How she always felt watched.

Heather turned on here heel and quickly exited the barn, taking in deep breaths and she set the bow down on the ground and closed the door. She waited for her breathing to return to normal before she dare face Daryl. As always, he quietly stood back, letting her gather her composure.

She looked up at him, hearing him turn the flashlight off, and saw he was narrowing his eyes at her. He reached out and took the bow from her, easily lifting it into his arms before he handed her the gun. She thanked him quietly and placed the gun back into it's secure spot in her jeans.

He watched her carefully, trying to find anything that might suggest what was going through her mind. Her face was blank as she leaned against the car and stared at the barn door again. She was still pale and even through the dark, he could see her hand shaking as she held them in tight balls at her sides.

"Rick mentioned getting information out of them tomorrow." Heather said while Daryl stood next to her, nodding.

"Wants ta figure out where they came from. If there's more of 'em." Daryl agreed, looking down at her.

She bit down on the inside of her cheek, her shoulders rising and falling with each breath.

"My brother's been with them the whole time." she nearly whispered, scared that saying them would mean the absolute truth.

Daryl could see the struggle on her face as she kept her eyes away from him. He tried to find something to say that would reassure her but he knew there was nothing that would help her at this point. Frustration began to take over and Daryl clenched his own fist into a ball, pulling it up to his lap.

"They're from a much larger group, Daryl," she started, turning to look at him. He saw her eyes were wide and she looked frightened, "If they find us, where we're at. They're going to kill us all."

"How do ya know that? Who says they're gonna find us?" he shook his head, tearing his eyes away from hers while he cleared his throat.

Heather didn't say anything, feeling too paranoid to make any clear statements. He was right, maybe they wouldn't even look for their two missing guys.

Daryl saw her lower her head as she stood up straight, rubbing at her neck before she looked back up at him. She was going to go back to her tent and Daryl realized he didn't want her to. The look on her face told him she was defeated and he found that it wasn't hard to accept any feelings for her when she was so broken.

He took a step and reached out, letting his hand touch her bottom jaw lightly. He wasn't sure why he was so compelled to touch her, but since she made no effort to make him stop, he discovered he was fully in control of this one aspect of his life; taking his time with someone he enjoyed.

"Stay in my tent." he told her quietly, unsure of the thought once he said the words.

She lifted her hand and gently grasped his wrist, pulling his hand away from her jaw. He was expecting her to push him away or look at him in disgust, which he had prepared himself for, but instead, she pulled his hand up to her scar and covered it again. Keeping her hand over his, she closed her eyes and took in a deep breath.

Daryl realized his heart was racing and his fingers flinched against her skin but he stood still, allowing her to have a moment. He turned his head to the barn and was only merely surprised when he decided he was going to question the two prisoners. He wanted to have an excuse to hurt them, like they had hurt her.

He turned back to Heather and swallowed again, pushing whatever thoughts he had out of his mind. He didn't have to think to make his next move. He pulled his hand away from her face, watching how she opened her eyes to look at him. Daryl almost stopped then but his urge to protect her pushed him forward.

Heather's breathing halted as Daryl ran his hand through her hair lightly, tangling his fingers in her loose curls. His face showed uncertainty before he licked his lips and leaned in, gently tilting her head up as he kissed the corner of her mouth. It was quick and light but Heather found herself practically gasping for air as he pulled himself back, letting his fingers fall from her hair.

There was nothing she could say to him to take away his discomfort he always took on whenever something happened between them. She debated whether or not to stay there and after a few seconds of trying to catch her breath, she decided it was best for her to leave him be.


	29. Chapter 29

**Continuing right where we left off!**

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Daryl instantly regretted his actions the second Heather walked away though he knew it was only because she had said nothing to him before turning away. He was prepared for her to push him away or even verbally reject him and when she had done neither, he found himself wondering if he should have kissed her at all. Despite his insecurities, he discovered that while he still wanted to kiss her, her lack of response made it difficult for Daryl to decide whether or not there would be a chance it could happen again.

Because of his racing mind, Daryl had stayed out by the barn the entirety of the night. He hadn't even realized how much time had passed until the sun began to rise and he could hear the group starting their days. Being alone had never bothered him before but after what had passed between him and Heather, he thought he needed some sort of distraction to keep himself from...thinking. Nothing had worked though, and the brightening sky was his reminder of that fact.

He was irritated, beyond irritated, frustrated that someone so small could have such an intense impact on him. She was always in the corners of his mind, daring to show up at the most inconvenient of times. Lately, it had been all the time. It became hard for him to concentrate on anything, he didn't even notice the snake that in turn, scared his horse and nearly killed him.

The way he saw it, he had two choices; continue to ignore it and constantly live in a state of half consciousness, or he could deal with it and accept his growing feelings. Even in arguing with himself, he grew stubborn and tried to convince himself there were no feelings, just an unexplainable urge to protect something that so desperately needed it.

His mind kept backtracking to the kiss, something he couldn't ignore no matter how hard he tried. He was thankful when he heard steps behind him and turned to see Rick, the scowl on his face not out of the ordinary.

He stopped by Daryl and tilted his head towards the barn, taking in a breath before he looked to the ground. Stress was making the sheriff's movements stiff and Daryl felt himself take a step back, unintentionally.

"Why did Heather try to shoot Randall?" Rick asked, the sudden question taking him by surprise.

Daryl swallowed and shrugged his shoulders. So much for pushing her from his mind.

"Ain't my business to tell." he stated, shaking his head.

For whatever reason, Rick knew Daryl had the information. He nodded and breathed in deeply again.

"She had a good reason." he said, realizing that she always thought about things before she did them.

Daryl nodded this time, keeping his head down. He didn't want to say anything to Rick that would make Heather regret her trust in him and he sighed. He was worried she would get upset if he said the wrong thing.

"You know her better than I do, especially now," Rick started, sensing Daryl's discomfort at his words as he held his hand up, "there's something you know that she doesn't want anyone else to know, and if it has to do with Randall and her brother, there could be a chance they'll say something. I think you should be the one to question them, for everyone's sake."

Daryl was surprised at where the conversation had gone, he was expecting to have to convince Rick to let him do it.

"What if they don' talk ta me?" Daryl asked quietly, glancing back to the barn door.

He heard Rick sigh deeply, carefully mulling the thoughts over in his head.

"Do whatever you have to." he finally said, lifting his eyebrows at the younger man, his silence giving him more permission than he needed.

Rick wanted to say more, his paternal instincts wrestling with words of advice for Daryl though he knew he shouldn't bother at all. It wasn't his place to say anything. In fact, he didn't want to know the details, but he couldn't stop the concern when he looked past Daryl and saw Heather walking over to the picnic table.

"Listen," he started, getting Daryl's attention again, "It's not my business but if you're really just looking out for her, protecting her, just remember to protect her from yourself as well."

Daryl turned his head and glared at the sheriff, anger passing across his pass. Rick could tell he hit a nerve, which was what he wanted. Proof that the younger man was truly looking out for her, for his own reasons.

Daryl felt his hand twitch as he bit back his normal want for arguing. He had never had to deal with legitimate feelings for a girl let alone a lecture from her dad. It pressured him.

"Do whatever you have to." Rick repeated, nodding his head again with emphasis before he turned on his heel and left Daryl alone again.

He had a busy day ahead, something he was in all honesty, dreading. Hershel had told him the group could stay in the house, meaning they would have to take down all the tents and make room for everyone. Rick didn't mind that aspect, the part that got him was the part he had given Daryl.

Rick stood by the picnic table, waiting for Shane to take Daryl's position long enough to tell the group the plans for the day. Him and Shane had talked the night before, both of them coming up with the plan they could agree on. It hadn't been an easy conversation, not that Shane made anything easy now a days.

Once he saw Daryl heading their way, he cleared his throat, hesitating as the group turned his way. Everyone was on edge and when he looked at certain members of their group; Heather, Lori, Carol; he saw just how hard everyone was reacting.

"Hershel's made it clear that he wants us all to move to the house today, so we're going to split into groups and get everything taken down and put inside." Rick started ranting, his voice coming out clearly despite the lack of strength he normally carried, "As always, we'll also take turns with watch, starting with Glenn."

Glenn didn't object, something Rick had planned. He began handing out chores for everyone to keep them busy. Lori and Carol were in charge of moving the laundry and dishes. T-Dog, himself and Dale would take the tents down. Andrea and Shane chose to move their vehicles closer to the house. And Heather offered to take care of Carl, figuring keeping track of him would at least help her mind stay distracted.

Daryl stayed around long enough to eat, his appetite making it hard to swallow everything on his plate. He noticed Heather was having the same problem, her food mostly untouched as she moved the eggs around the plate with her fork. Her face was pale and from the bags under her eyes, Daryl could tell she hadn't slept much if at all.

He could feel Rick's eyes on his back as he tried to finish eating, knowing that if he didn't get started with the information, he would never want to do it. He would never admit it, but he was glad for once when Carol came to his side and took his plate from him, saving him the trouble of having to it himself. He wanted to get away from them, his eyes frequently betraying his trust as they continued glancing at Heather.

It wasn't a comforting feeling, not having any control.

Heather watched Daryl as he got up from the picnic table, turning his head her once for a split second before he began walking back to the barn. She wanted to follow him, having an idea of what Rick was having him do. It relieved her to know it was Daryl that was going to be in there and not Shane. At least with Daryl there, he wouldn't do anything to harm her brother.

She finished eating what she could, handing what was left over to Rick. He scraped it onto his plate and thanked her quietly, this act routine between the two of them. He could be cold hearted to her in the heat of a stressful situation, but she never held a grudge and he was glad their relationship was still intact.

"I thought I could take Carl into the woods and we could pick some berries." Heather told him after she handed her plate to Carol.

Rick nodded his head, remembering how she once told him how to survive off of nuts and berries. He figured it was a good idea and it would be a nice break, not having to constantly wonder where Carl was.

"Don't wander too far and don't stay out too late." he said, shoving a forkful of eggs into his mouth.

Heather agreed and took the moment to leave, wanting to pack her stuff up before they took down the tent. She stopped by Daryl's, wondering how the sleeping arrangements would turn out. She felt a sense of discomfort as she thought about not having those moments with him anymore, aware he wouldn't want anyone else to see that he had to potential to feel things.

She would talk to him about it later.

After she gathered her things up and packed her maps and books into her bag, she pulled her bat and machete to the side of the house. She tossed her bag next to the pile where everyone else had put theirs and strapped the machete around her waist. Without thinking, she turned her head towards the barn, trying to see inside though she knew it wasn't possible.

Her stomach dropped in anticipation, a wave of nervousness moving up her spine. She felt her heart speed up and she didn't know why. Something didn't feel right to her.

Heather took in a shaky breath before taking a step towards the barn. She felt the urge to stop, not knowing what was going on in there, but when she tried to stop, she realized she had to keep going. She stood in front of the barn, breathing in deeply as she listened to what was going on inside.

Randall could be heard, his cries of fear and evidently pain overpowering Daryl's deep growl. The door was cracked and Heather pushed it open more, taking a small step inside.

She noticed her brother was no longer in the barn, the spot where he had previously been was now empty. Daryl was by Randall, his body hunched over the prisoner as he held onto the collar of his shirt. His face was bruised and bloodied and Heather finally heard what he was saying.

_"I didn't touch her, man, I swear!" _

Heather watched as Daryl brought his fist down against Randall's face, pulling it away when it became covered in blood. Normally, this sight would have shocked her or at least revealed some sort of negative connotation, but the more Daryl laid his fists against the boy's face, the more she wanted him to keep going.

Daryl heard the barn door creak behind him and without turning around, he knew she was standing there. Guilt kept him from turning around, not knowing how much she had seen or heard. He hadn't meant to beat the kid but when he started talking about her, about the way she screamed and suffered at the hands of men he was with, he couldn't stop.

He knew everything right then and still he couldn't look at her.

Heather stood still, her chest rising and falling heavily with each breath she struggled to take in. Daryl rose from his kneeling position, letting go of Randall before he pulled a rag from his back pocket. He wiped at his knuckles then turned around and started leaving the barn.

He stopped by her, keeping his head straight and his eyes forward. He tried to look down at her but he could feel how disturbed she was from the way she didn't move, her eyes glued to Randall's broken body.

He walked past her, his shoulder brushing against hers as he left the barn. She waited briefly, her feet not wanting to move, not wanting to join the group. She regretted her choice in watching Carl, knowing that after seeing Daryl lay into that kid, there was no way her mind was able to be distracted.

She felt herself sigh before she turned around and made her way to where everyone else was. Daryl was talking to the group, telling them what Randall had told him. She noticed he didn't mention anything about what he had done to get the information but obviously, it was noticed. Carol was the only one to point out his battered hands though Daryl said nothing in response.

Heather couldn't hear anything he was saying, her mind was racing, trying to plan what was supposed to happen next. She had told him their group was dangerous and now that he knew it for himself, she could feel the change in the air. The tension was there now, planting itself thick within the group.

When Daryl was done talking, he shouldered his crossbow and left the area they had been gathered, intent on packing up his stuff. He faltered in his footsteps when he saw Heather standing adjacent from the group, her eyes emotionless as she stared into an empty space at the ground.

He wanted to talk to her but for the life of him, he didn't know what he was supposed to say. He felt like he had invaded parts of her life he wasn't obliged to know. Randall had told him more than he bargained for and even her brother, who Shane had to take out near the beginning of the interrogation because he stunted Randall's words, told him things about her she wouldn't want him to know.

Daryl knew she needed to be alone for a bit and he used that as an excuse to push past her and go straight to his tent.

His hand hurt. His head hurt. And when he sat down on the floor of his tent, he discovered that his chest hurt. He hadn't expected to become as angry as he had, though he never forgot about his anger problems.

It was hard to convince himself that he had done it for her. He was helping her exact a revenge she couldn't quite take control of herself. It was stupid, he knew she didn't need any help, but still, he couldn't admit to the real reasons behind it. He didn't want to. Admitting would mean he was deeper in than he had wanted and he couldn't handle that loss of power.

He tried not to care. Tried not to think of her. The more he tried, the more he realized he was already deep in and there was nothing he could do about it.

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**I was going to do the torture scene more intense but I figured I still have quite a bit more to do before the end of season two.**

I've made a decision on who is going to be killed off but I can't say who it is until it happens. :) sorry/i'm not sorry.

**Please remember to review! I always get these chapters up faster when I get feedback from you guys!  
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	30. Chapter 30

**Finished this chapter early and it's even a little longer than usual! I won't have another chapter up until probably the end of the week so leave lots of reviews for me to work with!  
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The day seemed to go by in a blur after that. Heather took Carl into the woods to search for nuts and berries. Anything to keep her preoccupied. She wasn't sure how long they had been out, the time seeming irrelevant to life at the moment.

"My dad likes you a lot." Carl said, not comfortable in the silence like Heather was.

She looked down at him, gripping the bat in her hands as he adjusted the bag he was carrying on his back. He was wearing Rick's hat, an accessory that had become his own. He carried a lot of his father's qualities and mannerisms, something that made Heather feel completely at ease with.

"I should hope so." she sighed, trying to make her voice sound more chipper when he smiled at her.

"He used to talk about you all the time. Before we came here. You're not how I imagined though." he told her, his blunt honesty forgivable; he was still young.

She felt herself try to smile, forcing it as she slowed in her steps. They had been walking around the thick brush for some time, mostly keeping quiet but every now and then, Carl would speak up and she would be forced to answer.

"How so?" she asked, pointing to a bush that was to Carl's right.

He nodded and stepped over to it, seeing some berries. She watched as he picked them slowly, the look on his face the same one his father showed when he was deep in thought.

"You just don't seem happy. Dad said you always smiled but I don't think I've ever seen you smile."

Heather scoffed, without meaning to, finding Carl's observations too accurate for her liking. She couldn't even remember the last time she felt like smiling. It hadn't been anytime too recent, as far as she could tell.

"You're too young to be so sharp." she told him, reaching her hand out.

He understood immediately and handed her the bag he had been filling with the nuts and berries they had been gathering. She looked in, deciding it was full enough, then turned back in the direction they were walking.

"Can I swing your bat?" Carl questioned, motioning his head to her hand.

Heather thought about it carefully, knowing that RIck wouldn't be too pleased to hear his son had been playing with melee weapons. She also knew that if Carl were to get lost on his own, having previous knowledge of weapons was most likely in his best interest. What could it hurt?

She nodded and held the bat out in his direction, watching him grin before he took it from her. He was in awe of the nails that made the plain stick of wood turn into a killing machine.

"Just be careful, don't swing it around me." she instructed, taking a step bat as he pulled it up.

He listened to her, his grin getting wider every time he swung and he connected with a tree or a bush. It was innocent, the act of swinging this tool she had often played with when she was younger. He was enjoying himself and Heather couldn't be sure how long it had been since Carl wasn't surrounded with stress and death.

After awhile, he grew tired of the bat and as they started walking back to the farm, he handed her the bat. They remained quiet, not knowing what to say. He was full of questions, some personal, some not, but he knew she would most likely not respond to any of them.

"Did Daryl hurt your brother?"

Heather's footsteps slowed, the inhale of breath getting caught in her throat. Leave it to Carl to bring up the one thing she was trying not to think about.

"I don't think so." she replied truthfully, shaking her head.

"My mom said Daryl wouldn't lift a finger for anyone other than himself. He's mean." Carl said this with distaste, as if he disagreed with his own statement as it left his mouth.

Heather pressed her lips into a frown and continued walking.

"Daryl was the only person who kept looking for Sophia though," Carl continued, following beside her, not knowing or caring if she was even listening to him still, "and dad said he was really scared when you got shot."

She thought back to that day, realizing Rick was right. The look on Daryl's face had been one of pure terror, something she had never seen on another person's face before. She had never seen that much emotion on his face before.

"I guess Daryl isn't so mean. He just likes to be alone." Carl concluded, stopping and turning to Heather.

She could tell he wanted to ask her something but was trying to decide if he should or not.

"Just ask, Carl." she urged, trying to push Daryl from her thoughts again, which was proving to be difficult with the kid around.

"What if your brother turns out to be the bad guy?" he asked quietly, keeping his eyes shielded as she winced.

She had been avoiding the thought, knowing her brother better than anyone else on the planet. She knew what he had done before the end and how she figured he had been the bad guy all along.

"My brother's always been the bad guy." she sighed, watching how Carl didn't seem phased by the proclamation.

"Why were you looking for him then if he's always been bad? Why didn't you just keep running?"

Heather found that she was suddenly tired, the weight of everything finally coming down on her. She understood that Carl meant no harm in his questions, he was just a curious kid, but when she became faced with the facts so bluntly, she couldn't answer him. She ignored the problem the entire time, convincing herself that she was looking for her brother because he was family. In reality, she was trying to find him so she could stay away from him.

She saw the farm in view, figures of the rest of the group wandering around what used to be their campsite. The tents were all down and now all that remained was the picnic table and the RV. Daryl's bike could be seen parked next to the RV, Daryl standing beside it.

"We should go get these to Carol so she can wash the berries for dinner." Heather said, changing the subject as they came up the edge of the farm.

Carl nodded and took the bag from her, not pushing her with anymore questions before he took off to the picnic table. Heather saw Daryl turn her way, his eyes narrowed as he watched her walk past him. He opened his mouth slightly, as if to say something, but was caught off guard by the way she didn't even look at him.

Dinner that night was had inside the house upon the insistence of Hershel. Carol and Lori prepared the meal, which seemed larger than it normally was.

Rick spoke to the group about what possible plans they would be having in the next few days. He mentioned Daryl and thanked him for "the work" he had done to retrieve the information from the prisoners. Daryl, as usual, just grunted in response. Heather could feel his eyes on her as they ate, finding it hard to ignore when she realized they were sitting directly across from each other; their feet just inches apart.

"Tomorrow Shane and I are going to be taking Randall out quite a few miles and dropping him there. We have no reason to keep him here with us." Rick told the group, looking up at Heather when he left out her brother.

She knew by his look that he would want to talk to her and she nodded her head once, looking back down to her plate. She tried to eat but every time she brought the fork up to her mouth, she could feel Daryl's eyes on her again and she became self conscious, wondering why he kept looking at her.

The rest of the dinner was eaten in silence, the meal all anyone could concentrate on. Occasionally, someone would comment on the cooking and Carol or Lori would say something in response.

After everyone finished eating, they one by one took their plates to the sink and stood around, not knowing what to do since the tents had been put away. The sleeping arrangements hadn't yet been figured out and Heather could hear Rick silently curse to himself, remembering he had forgotten something.

"Hershel said there is one spare bedroom and Maggie said she would share her room. Then after that there's the couch and the chair in the living room." Rick informed them, figuring it would be best if they figured out their sleeping situation for themselves.

The group talked amongst themselves for a few minutes, with the exception of Daryl and Heather, who were too busy trying not to think about where they would sleep. T-Dog, Shane and Glenn would share one bedroom, since it got too crowded if there was more than three people. Carol and Andrea would be sharing with Maggie. Dale decided to stay in the RV.

Heather realized the only two spots left were in the living room, something Daryl also noticed. Rick looked back and forth between the two before Daryl finally spoke up.

"I got the chair." he muttered, lifting his head up to see Heather.

She nodded, knowing he only took the chair to try and be polite. She could see from the way he looked past the chair that the couch was what he really wanted.

Everyone separated, going into their respective bedrooms. Heather grabbed her blankets from the pile on the ground and threw them onto the couch, watching from the corner of her eye as Daryl did the same. She felt on edge, not having been around him alone since the previous night.

His knuckles were still scraped up, the dried blood dark against his skin.

She stood up straight, wanting to talk to him. Wanting him to say anything to her. He had multiple opportunities throughout the day but he avoided it, turning away whenever she looked at him. Randall had told him something that either angered him or upset him and Heather wanted to know what it was.

Rick had assigned Daryl first watch for the night, which worked out perfectly since she was second. All she had to do was show up a few minutes early so she could talk to him without the eyes of everyone else on them.

Daryl left the house a few minutes after she had laid out the blankets and got comfortable on the couch. He nodded at her once, still not saying anything to her. She laid back and stared at the ceiling, trying to think of something that would pass the time until her shift came.

TWDTWDTWDTWD

She hadn't even realized she fell asleep until she felt someone touching her shoulder lightly. She sat up quickly, the contact frightening her as she tried to adjust to the darkness.

"Just me." she heard Daryl say quietly, his figure hunched over her.

Heather held her hand to her chest, taking in a deep breath to calm her nerves. Daryl took in a breath and sat down on the couch, pushing her legs out of the way.

"You scared me." she said, feeling stupid at stating the obvious.

"You were sleepin' pretty hard." he spoke a little louder, remembering everyone was asleep.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to fall asleep." she apologized, rubbing at the skin beneath her eyes, "What time is it?"

Daryl looked at the clock that was behind her, squinting into the dark to see the numbers.

"Almost 3:30."

She nodded, sighing. She had planned out what she wanted to say to him, what she wanted to ask, but now that he was in front of her, she was drawing a blank.

He was staring at the ground, biting down on the inside of his cheek while he waited for her to say something. He had been forcing himself to not to talk her, not ready to tell her everything Randall had said but he knew he had to. She needed to know what happened and why. He didn't know where to start or if there was an easy way to do it, so he just started talking.

"Your brother told those guys to do that to ya." he breathed, tightening his hand into a fist when he heard her swallow.

She hadn't been prepared. Though deep down inside she knew it was a possibility, hearing it said out loud made it impossible to ignore.

Strange, how your entire foundation crumbles with one sentence.

"What?" she choked out, pulling her feet out from behind Daryl's body and swinging them over the edge of the couch.

She felt sick, and when Daryl repeated himself, louder this time, she stood up. Not sure how to react or what she was supposed to do, she reached for her bat on the ground by the couch. Daryl stood up with her, looking anywhere but her face. He could hear the betrayal and pain in her voice, striking something inside of him.

"What about...when I got shot?" she asked him, her voice wavering as she searched his face for any sort of emotion.

His face was set, his eyes narrowed. He didn't want to tell her everything, not because he didn't want her to know, but because he didn't want to be the one to break her.

"Planned." he answered, shaking his head.

He became worried then, how her face instantly hardened and she looked away from him. She was nodding her head, breathing deeply as she clenched the bat in her hands. She turned back to him and he could see her eyes had reddened but there were no tears.

"I should get out there for my shift." she said dully, waiting for him to try to say anything else.

Daryl wasn't sure what happened to her within those few seconds but he could only nod as she pursed her lips together and walked past him. He felt unsettled as he set his crossbow onto the floor and sat down in the chair.

Something didn't feel right.

He sat in the chair for a few minutes, looking over at the couch. The blankets were crumpled from where she was sleeping and he could see the sheath for her machete sticking out. His eyebrows furrowed, confused as to why the machete wasn't inside. He stood up quickly, the pieces coming together as he grabbed the sheath just to make sure. When he realized she had taken the machete with her, he turned around and nearly ran to the front door.

Heather wasn't outside and when he ran over to the RV, she wasn't near by. He grimaced and looked in the direction of the barn, seeing a shadow just outside the doors. In her hand, he could see the glint of the machete.

He took off running, realizing that look in her eyes had been one of determination and if he didn't know any better, she was going to kill both of the people in the barn. He felt like he wasn't running fast enough, unsure of why he would try to stop her in the first place. He had even admitted to himself that he wanted to kill them with his own hands. Especially after everything Randall had told him.

Daryl got to the barn and without hesitating, pushed open the barn doors. Heather was standing in front of her brother, the machete raised in the air as she looked down to him. There was pure rage on her face and it was obvious the only thing she could think about was revenge.

"Anger does incredible things, even to the nicest people." James was grinning, his eyes turned in Daryl's direction, "I have to be honest, I was expecting you do to this to me. Not her."

"You should've seen how angry he got when I told him everything," James continued, looking back to Heather, "I guarantee the only reason he didn't lay a finger on me was because of you. Randall didn't get so lucky."

Daryl looked away, not wanting Heather to know James was spot on.

"I'm sorry it had to happen like this, little sister. But you have to know, things aren't like they used to be. I wanted you to appreciate the fact that you're alive when so many others aren't."

Daryl couldn't listen to him anymore, he wanted it to end. His primal instincts kicked in and for a split second, he thought about slamming the machete into James's skull himself. Then he looked back to Heather, who had lowered the weapon and was staring helplessly at her older brother.

"Pretty fucked up lesson, if ya ask me." Daryl muttered, walking over to Heather.

She flinched when he touched her hand, taking the machete from her. He wanted to get her out of that barn. Take her away, protect her. He reached out and grabbed her forearm, pulling on her slightly.

"C'mon." he said quietly, taking another look at her brother, who was still grinning manically on the ground.

Heather followed him out of the barn, standing silently beside him while he closed and locked the doors. When Daryl turned around, he frowned at the way she held her hand over her mouth, the shock setting in. He began to get uncomfortable when he saw her eyes glisten but when the first tear fell, his urge to protect her took over and he took a step towards her.

She tried not to cry in front of him, knowing how awkward he got when any feelings were shown from either of them, but when reality sunk in, she couldn't hold them back. Daryl hesitated before he grabbed her shoulder, his single touch opening any doors that had been closed between them. He clumsily pulled her towards him, his hand on the back of her neck as she buried her face into his chest.

He held onto her tightly, resting his chin on the top of her head while she cried, gripping onto the fabric of his shirt.

He could feel her pain.

* * *

**What do you guys think should happen with Heather's brother? He's a big dick so I'm obviously not going to be keeping him around, but should I have someone in the group kill him off, or maybe a walker?  
Let me know what you guys think! **


	31. Chapter 31

**Thank you everyone who read and reviewed! I'm loving all the comments!**

* * *

Heather stared into the fields in front of her, the darkness surrounding making it difficult, but not impossible, to see any movement. She sniffed, not turning her head when she saw Daryl shift beside her. He hadn't said a word to her since they made it back to the RV, no that she had expected him to. He hadn't even said anything the entire time she cried against him, staining his shirt with her tears.

The summer air had turned cold and Heather wished she had remembered to grab her jacket before she left with the intention of killing her brother. The memory of it shook her and she shivered slightly, her teeth chattering. Daryl moved beside her again and she turned to see he was taking his own jacket off, a grimace on his face as he held it out in her direction.

"Take it." he ordered, not looking at her.

Heather hesitated, noticing how he was a flannel underneath that miraculously still had the sleeves on, though it didn't look to thick or warm. She reached out for it and held it in her hands before pulling it on. It was too big for her, the sleeves hung over her hands. She breathed in, Daryl's scent enveloping her.

"Are you going to tell Rick?" she asked him quietly, the waver in her voice betraying her confidence.

"Don't see no reason to," he answered, shaking his head, "Ya didn't do nothin'."

He was right, she surmised. Had he not shown up when he had, she was positive her brother would be missing his head. It didn't comfort her to know she was seconds away from killing her own flesh and blood.

"Why was my brother expecting you to do it?" she spoke again, her voice at it's normal volume this time.

Daryl moved awkwardly in the chair, shaking his head. He didn't want to talk about it. Of all the things they could talk about, what took place in the barn between him and the two prisoners was the last thing he wanted to talk about.

"Dunno." he sighed, stretching his legs out in front of him, causing a distraction to keep from looking at her and the way she was looking back at him.

She didn't believe him but she nodded anyway and let it go, which he expected her to. He needed to get away from her, an itch settling in his bones. He couldn't relax.

Daryl grabbed his bow and stood, looking down at her as he cleared his throat. He squinted, biting down on his lip.

"Gonna go check round the house. Glenn should be up in a bit, get some sleep." he told her, waiting for her to respond as she turned her eyes up to his.

"Do you want your jacket?" she questioned, beginning to pull her arm out of the sleeve.

Daryl immediately shook his head, waving his hand at her.

"Jus' keep it for now. I'll get it back from ya later." he turned around then, not giving her a chance to disagree with him. He didn't want her to worry about him being cold.

Heather watched as he disappeared down the ladder and melted into the darkness. She worried for him yet she wasn't able to show it in any way, knowing he would be uncomfortable with any sort of concern for him.

She began to think of him, his actions of reassurance passing through her thoughts. She thought of Rick then, telling her about Daryl and how he hardly talked to anyone. Why her? Why had he been able to talk to her?

He allowed her to sleep in the same bed as him, he had kissed her, and he had shown her he had real feelings. Why then, had everyone been so wary of him? He treated her differently, that much was obvious, but she still wasn't sure had never seen him react to anyone else the way he did to her. He had been kind, gentle. She had even made him smile and as far as she could tell, no one else in the group had. That had to count for something.

Daryl worried for her, felt for her, but he didn't want anyone else to know he was capable of caring for another person. Especially not people he barely knew. They didn't know anything about him or his past. She had never mentioned anything about him to the others, knowing he trusted her to keep that much a secret.

Heather had been with men like Daryl before. All of them broken in some way. But Daryl was different, in so many ways. He kept his wounds only surface deep, but allowed no one close enough to share them. He wore his scars like an armor, hid his emotions behind a mask of stoned face. She worried he had never felt any sort of happiness in his life though she would never voice that to him.

She wanted him, she realized, in every way she possibly could. The tragedy was he would never let her close enough to feel anything other than guilt in return.

Their friendship was confusing, Heather found it hard to put a label on what they could be.

Friends. Is that what they were? She couldn't see any reason not to think so. At the very least, they had to be friends.

Her thoughts were interrupted by Glenn climbing up the ladder. He greeted her and took the place where Daryl had been sitting previously.

"How was it?" he asked, taking the binoculars she handed him.

"Not too bad," she shrugged, forcing a smile when he looked her way, "The night was pretty calm. How did you sleep?"

Glenn smiled sheepishly and she remembered that he now shared a room with Maggie. It was obvious he hadn't gotten much sleep and Heather felt a genuine smile cross her lips.

"On that note, I'm gonna head to bed for a couple hours." she looked at her watch and sighed.

It was almost 7 am, meaning everyone would be getting up in the next hour or two, giving her just enough time for some shut eye.

Glenn said good night to her and pulled a gun into his lap, humming quietly to himself as she walked past him and climbed down the ladder. The house was quiet still. Heather laid back on the couch, looking over to the chair where Daryl's stuff was stashed. He hadn't come back inside.

She had only fallen asleep for about an hour before she was woken up by Rick, who offered to let her sleep in the bed for a bit to get more sleep. She sat up and rubbed at her eyes, shaking her head.

"I'm fine. Just need something to eat."

Rick nodded but didn't move from the couch. He stared down at his hands, which were folded in his lap.

"I want you to talk to your brother today." he told her, turning his head to look at her, "Daryl got the information we needed out of Randall, but I need you to decide what you want to do with your brother. I won't make any decisions until you tell me what you want to do."

She already knew what she wanted to do, but she couldn't tell Rick that. She figured she would actually try to talk to him, figure out if he posed a threat against them, so she nodded.

"I'll go after breakfast." she said, swinging her legs over the edge of the couch.

Daryl wasn't at the table with everyone else when breakfast was served and Heather discovered she couldn't push him from her mind. She couldn't stop thinking about the way he had held onto her tightly, pressing her against his body. She could still smell him on her, a soothing scent that she didn't want to leave. He smelled like the woods, smoke, and sweat all at once though it was hardly a bad scent.

Rick waited until everyone, except Daryl, was gathered around the table before he started talking about the day. Him and Shane would take Randall out, away from the farm and drop him off later in the day. Heather didn't agree with just dropping him off alive but she realized it was better than having him here at the farm with them.

He then went on to talk about what chores needed to be done, including laundry and the dishes that were being used for breakfast. Lori and Carol, as always, agreed to take care of the house work.

After everyone had eaten and left the table to get their stuff done for the day, Rick pulled both Heather and Shane aside and sat them down for their plans.

"Shane's gonna wait outside in case you need anything. Please don't take too long in there." Rick told her, holding his hand out.

She hesitated before she pulled the gun out from her waist line and handed it to him, pulling Daryl's jacket around her tighter. Rick left them and Shane turned to look at her.

"How'd he know you had that?" Shane asked her, smiling suspiciously as he bit down on his thumb nail.

She knew he had told him, no doubt having seen Andrea give it to her. She didn't say anything in return, finding an argument the last thing she wanted. He frowned and stood up, motioning for her to follow behind him.

They walked outside together and headed to the barn, Heather's heart pounding when she thought about the past few times she had tried talking to her brother. It never turned out good and she always left with too many emotions. She told herself she would control them this time.

Shane opened the doors to the barn and held one for her, propping it open with his leg. She walked past him and stood in front of her brother, like she had done so many times before. The blindfold was still removed and he was looking at her, a serious look on his face. She had to admit, it was better than seeing him grin.

"James." she said quietly, nodding her head.

"Tell that dick holding the door open that I'm hungry and I can't eat peanut butter. He keeps bringing me these sandwiches and I can't eat them." James sighed, jerking his head to the left, to a small stack of peanut butter sandwiches.

"I'll let him know." she told him.

"Did you come here with an execution date?" he asked, looking up at her.

She shook her head, "No. I'm trying to decide what to do with you."

He smiled and she felt her blood chill. She hated when he smiled.

"Daddy's letting you take control of this situation, I see. Does he know why you want to kill me?" he asked her, his teeth flashing in the light.

She looked over to the door, noticing how Shane wasn't paying attention to them. He was too busy chewing at the skin on his finger. She was thankful for his short attention span.

"He doesn't need to know." she took in a breath.

"What about the redneck? Does he know?"

"I told him." she admitted, nodding her head, "Why does it matter?"

James pressed his lips together and smiled again, "Does he know everything?"

She shook her head after a second, watching how he licked his bottom lip and looked up at her.

"I told him everything, Heather. Everything you did that day. Every person you killed. He knows."

Heather felt her body freeze, her brother's smile growing wider in satisfaction. There were things she didn't want anyone to know, including Daryl, things that had happened the day she was attacked.

"He knows about the kid you shot." James was grinning now, waiting for her to break.

Heather's face turned red, the anger and hurt taking over her entire body. She had tried to forget about the fact, the boy she had shot in her attempt to get away from those people.

Randall hadn't touched her, but he sure as hell didn't do anything to stop the members in his group from touching her. She cringed, remembering the way they felt on top of her, the stench of their rotten mouth covering her face. She managed to get the biggest man off of her by kneeing him between the legs. After he had rolled over, she pulled her knife out and stabbed him.

Two of the other men had taken off, their weapons dropped in their hurry to pull up their pants and get away. Heather shot one in the back with her gun that was within reach as he tried to run, he landed on the ground and she shot him two more times. There was only one person left, a young boy, probably not much younger than Randall. He hadn't touched her either, he had only bothered with touching himself.

She felt no guilt as she shot him.

"Why?" she asked him, shaking her head, "You're my brother. Why would you do this to me?"

James only smiled again and looked away from her.

"It's all apart of the big picture, little sister. I've been trying to prepare you. One day there will be no people left and you'll have to learn how to be on your own in this world. You can't rely on anyone else. Especially when they know what you've done."

"I didn't have a choice." she muttered, her head feeling fuzzy.

"Of course you did. They weren't going to kill you. They just needed to let loose. Notice how they only started hurting you when you tried fighting back? You're keeping company with the wrong people. You think that redneck's going to protect you forever? He's going to die."

Heather's stomach dropped and she had to look away. Thinking about Daryl dying gave her a lump in her throat and she found it hard to breathe.

"He's so stupid he'll probably die trying to protect you." James smiled at this, "He only beat Randall that bad to find out what happened to you. Then he beat him even harder."

She looked up at him, a different sort of anger passing through her. She had trusted Daryl to get the information about his group, but about her. She couldn't stop the feeling of betrayal that stiffened her movements.

"You need to stay away from these people. They only bring harm to each other."

She was too lost in her thoughts to say anything else. James didn't seem satisfied with her lack of reaction, his head shaking.

"He was supposed to be the one who got shot at the pharmacy. Not you."

Heather's fist balled and before she could control herself, she brought it down on her brother's face, coming in contact with his nose. She heard the skin meet and he let out a small cry of pain before she pulled back and threw it forward again. She tried punching again but she heard Shane behind her, grabbing her arm.

"Hey! Calm down!" he said, pulling her away from her brother.

She yanked her arm out of his grasp and pushed him away, walking past him. She needed to find Daryl and she needed to talk to him. Shane called her name behind her but she didn't stop to wait for him.

Daryl was sitting at the picnic table with Rick and Glenn when she found him, ignoring Shane's yells behind her still as she came up to them. The three men looked her way at the sound and Daryl could tell something was wrong when he met her eyes.

"Everything ok?" Rick asked, looking past her to see Shane running to catch up to her.

She didn't answer as she looked at Daryl.

"I need to talk to you." she said sternly, her voice hard as Rick looked between the two of them.

Daryl took in a deep breath and slowly stood up. Shane reached them and touched Heather's arm again, looking at Rick as she pulled her arm away from him and narrowed her eyes.

"Don't. Touch me." she growled, turning back to Daryl when Shane held his hands up in defense.

She didn't have to say anything else before Daryl moved from behind the picnic table and walked past her. She turned around and followed him, unsure of what she was even going to say to him. He wasn't going to be happy, no matter what went on between them, she was aware of that.

He led her away from the group, knowing they would be able to see whatever happened, he just hoped they couldn't hear. He didn't want anyone knowing his business and he found that a rare thing to get away with when you lived in a close knit community.

They stopped and Daryl turned around, avoiding her eyes at any cost. She could've cared less.

"What did Randall tell you?" she asked him, holding her hands down at her sides.

Daryl shrugged and looked up at her, trying to ignore the several pairs of eyes that were on them. It was proving quite difficult as she waited for an answer.

"Said his group was big, had lots of weapons." he repeated what he had told the group, leaving out the most important details.

"Bullshit, Daryl." she shook her head, a sarcastic smile crossing her lips, "Tell me the fucking truth. Tell me."

He didn't want to lie to her. He rubbed at the bridge of his nose and took in another breath, groaning in frustration.

"He told me everythin' that happened to ya." he said quietly, a sick feeling pushing it's way into his gut.

"Why did he tell you that?" she pushed, her voice rising slightly in level as she took a step closer to him.

"I made him." he answered, turning his eyes up to see her face.

She was angry, that much was obvious, but Daryl saw that she was also hurt. Betrayed. He had betrayed her trust. His stomach flipped and he had to look away from her.

"You had no right," she stated, licking at her lips, "what happened to me is none of your business. If I wanted you to know, I would have told you."

"I needed to know." he tried, not sure why he was defending himself.

He should've just left, called it quits. He had been trying to find an excuse to get away from her, put some space between them. But he found he couldn't and the thought made him feel even more sick.

"You didn't need to know!" he was startled by the way she yelled at him, her hands reaching out to push at his chest.

He let her push him again, using all of her strength to make him stumble backwards before he grabbed her wrists and regained his footing. His own anger bubbled and he gripped her tightly, leaning down to her eye level.

"I needed to know what the fuck I was protectin' ya from!" he yelled back at her, letting go of her wrists as he pushed her back slightly, not wanting to push her over.

"You don't need to protect me, Daryl," she argued, rubbing at her wrists, "I can take care of myself."

Daryl couldn't stop the laugh the came next and she glared at him.

"Look at yourself, Heather," he shook his head, holding his hand out, "You're broken. You're barely makin' on your own. No one else in this group is gonna look out for ya. Rick has his own family, he ain't got time to worry about what trouble you're gettin' yourself into."

"I don't need you pretending to be friends with me because you feel responsible for my accident." she shook her head again, looking away from him, "You don't owe me anything."

Daryl ran his hand over his face, turning his head to see everyone from camp looking their way. He growled and looked to the ground. He hadn't meant for it to get out of control. He only wanted to protect her, even from the truth.

"I _need_ to look after ya." he stated quietly, so quietly she barely heard it.

She knew he wouldn't say anymore, his small admission showing more feeling than he cared for her to know. She sighed.

"Just...stay away from me for awhile." she told him, biting on the inside of her cheek, "Please."

Daryl wanted to reach out and stop her from leaving but he saw Rick heading their way, determination in his step. She must've been aware of this as she looked at him again, searching for any emotion on his face. When he kept still, she turned around.

He was angry in a way he never had been before. It was more than just frustration. He was irritated at how helpless he felt. He needed to make it right with her.

He needed to regain her trust.

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**Now, serious question. Since this hasn't been talked about and it's kind of up to everyone's imagination, what do you think happened to Daryl as a child? Obviously there's abuse but from who do you think? I'm working on the next few chapters and I need some help with what relationships in his past could've paved the way for him to be who he is now.**

Leave lots of reviews and I'll be back in the next few days!  



	32. Chapter 32

**Thank you everyone for the reviews! You have no idea how much they're helping. I made this chapter a bit longer than I normally do but a lot of stuff happens!**

**So don't forget to review!**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

Daryl's chest was rising and falling heavily with each breath he took, his eyes still watching Heather's back as Rick strolled over to him. The older man didn't seem to notice how Daryl was hardly paying any mind to him, despite the fact that he was standing right next to him.

"What happened?" Rick asked him, sighing as he placed his hands on his hips.

Daryl jerked his head to look at Rick, mustering up whatever negative emotions he could show, hoping the sheriff would get the hint and leave him alone. Discussing what had just happened between him and Heather was out of the picture. He still felt sick.

"Nothin'," Daryl spit, shaking his head, then he added "ain't none of ya business."

"She looked upset." Rick stated, pushing him for more of an answer.

Daryl huffed and looked to the ground, shaking his head again.

"I just need to know that you two can be civilized and not get into it right now." Rick said, taking Daryl's silence as submission.

His gaze was still fixed on Heather, watching her as she stood by the picnic table, talking to Shane. He cursed internally, trying to think of a way to forget about her. She told him to leave her alone and as much as he thought he wanted to, it bothered him to hear her say it.

He hadn't meant to upset her but after he thought about it, he understood why she lost her temper. He tortured some kid to find out what happened to her. It was insane and he let out a breath, biting down on his bottom lip.

"Wouldn't worry 'bout it." Daryl mumbled, seeing Rick nod his head from the corner of his eye.

"I can trust that you'll keep things together here while I'm out."

Daryl nodded, accepting Rick's subtle order, knowing that his role in the group was beginning to be the wild card. The one thing he had gotten good at, because of his temper, was keeping everyone in check. Once Daryl told them to do something, under the knowledge that Rick had left him in charge, no one questioned him.

In reality though, all Daryl wanted to do was get away from everybody. He could tell from the way the group avoided Heather at the picnic tables that things were going to be tough. He hated when everyone got so tense they wouldn't talk. At least when they were talking, he didn't feel like they were watching him.

"We shouldn't be gone for more than a couple hours, hopefully. So just keep it together until then. Please." Rick nodded his head again, debating on saying more. He thought otherwise and turned away.

Daryl waited for him to get ahead of him before he rubbed at the back of his head and followed after him. He kept his head down as he walked past Heather, noticing how she didn't even flinch when he stepped by her. His hand involuntarily balled into a fist and he scowled, wishing they had kept the tents up longer.

Heather paused in her conversation with Shane, making sure Daryl was gone before she started talking again. She felt horrible for yelling at him even though she was still mad. It didn't make her feel good continuing to be a dick to him but she found it hard to concentrate on what she was talking about when she knew he was just feet away from her.

Shane noticed how she started having trouble getting out what she wanted to say. He knew she was fuming over something that had happened, something her brother had said, but he didn't want to intrude on her personal affairs, so he attempted to change the subject so she could calm down.

"When Rick and I get back, we can go on a run." he suggested, remembering how she mentioned jogging kept her leg healthy. He had seen her running in the mornings, back and forth in the fields, but he never understood until she just told him.

Heather shrugged her shoulders, thanking Shane for his kindness. He had succeeded in calming her down but now that her anger was gone, the anxiety crippled her when she saw that Lori and Carol kept glancing at her, wonder and want to question showing on their faces.

She felt more eyes on her back and she instinctively scratched at her neck, wincing when Shane narrowed his eyebrows. He seemed to understand what was happening and he nodded, touching her arm lightly.

"Dale was complaining about having to do watch today. You should take over for him, let him get some rest for the day." he offered, taking a step in the direction of the RV.

Heather let out a sigh of relief, completely forgetting that climbing on top of the RV and ignoring everyone was an option. This way, she could avoid Daryl and try to decide if she had reacted reasonably.

Shane led the way to the RV, looking back over his shoulder every few steps to make sure she was still following after him. The old man looked pleasantly surprised when she climbed up the ladder and took a seat next to him.

After a moment, she could tell he was itching to say something. She didn't want him to, knowing that he often gave lectures when he thought appropriate.

"Rick said you were deciding that to do with your brother...have you made up your mind yet?" he asked her, his voice soft with friendliness.

She shrugged, thinking that if she told Dale the truth about wanting to kill James, he would try to convince her otherwise.

"If we let him go he could come back with his group." she said quietly, shrugging again as her eyes scanned the tree lines, trying not to look at Dale.

"You wouldn't want to kill your own brother." he stated at, his tone changing at the hint of a question.

"I don't see any other way around it at this point." she told him honestly, taking in a deep breath.

Dale was silent for a moment before he turned to her.

"Whatever happened between you and your brother, can be worked out. You two are family and it's rare to have family alive anymore. Think about what you do before you tell Rick your decision or you will regret it for the rest of your life."

Heather sighed for a moment, nodding her head. Dale had a tendency to work through the guilt on people, making them believe they were better than they were. That was just him and Heather had gotten used to it. He still saw the good in people despite instances that happened that should have changed his mind.

"We could even keep him here if that's what it comes down to," Dale continued, "have him work around the farm. Pull his end of the weight."

"Keep your friends close, enemies closer." Heather mumbled, shaking her head.

"Is that how you feel about Daryl?" Dale asked.

Heather groaned inwardly when he managed to slip in the whole reason she was on top of the RV. She shook her head, the desire to explain the situation far from her mind.

"He isn't my enemy." she said, trying to keep him from pestering her further.

"You're right, he's not. You have your reasons for yelling at him and I won't question why, but keep in mind, he does things that are the best interest for this group. He may not act like he cares, but he's stepped up and I feel you have something to do with it. You can be angry but none of us have a lot of time left anymore and you might feel better if you don't hold any grudges."

Heather sighed heavily, nodding. Of course Dale was right. He saw everything and always had a way to fix it. She didn't want to admit that hearing him say it out loud made her immediately want to find Daryl and apologize to him.

His words came back to her and she felt herself cringe, realizing she may have slightly over reacted. He felt like he needed to look out for her and why should she try to stop him? She felt safer knowing his eyes were on her back.

"Daryl isn't an unreasonable person, he just wants people to think he is so he doesn't have to talk to them." Dale reminded her, smiling briefly at her before he stood, "Take some time to yourself then make things right. The world has a way of making things work."

She breathed in and nodded again, pressing her lips into a smile.

"Thanks, Dale." she said, keeping her eyes away from him as he climbed down the ladder.

Heather watched things pass by her after that, the group finding it's way on their own as soon as Rick and Shane left with Randall. She felt uneasy about them just dropping him off but she knew Rick wouldn't accept killing him as an option.

Daryl decided to go hunting not too long after Rick and Shane did, yelling to the group that he would be back in about an hour. He had a cross bow with him and when he disappeared into the woods just outside the farm, Heather tried to think about how she was going to apologize to him.

Saying, "I'm sorry" just didn't feel like it was enough for Heather. She had not only yelled at him, she had pushed him. She had forced him to speak about his intentions out loud. He didn't know why he felt the need to look after he and she didn't want to question him.

After awhile, the thoughts began to be a bit much for Heather and she was thankful when Andrea climbed up on the RV to take over for watch. Heather hadn't talked to her much but the older woman was always accepting of her, not making her feel unwanted or unwelcome in any way.

"Lori made a sandwich for you, it's inside." Andrea told her, taking the seat that Dale had left just a few hours ago.

Heather thanked her, rising from her seat as she handed the worn binoculars to Andrea. Neither of them spoke to each other, which was ideal since Heather had no idea what they would even talk about. It left out the option of getting awkward.

Lori was in the kitchen when Heather walked in, making sandwiches just as Andrea said she was. She looked up and smiled at her, then set down the knife she was holding.

"Yours is on the table." she pointed to the plate that still had potato chips left on it.

Heather felt herself smile before she nodded and reached for the plate.

"Would you take Daryl's his?" Lori asked her as she started biting into her sandwich. Peanut butter and Jelly.

Heather took in a breath through her nose and chewed before she nodded slowly.

"He's out hunting though." she reminded the older woman between bites.

"He's back. Got back a little bit ago. Threw some squirrels on the table and said he'd be out by the barn." Lori told her, picking up the knife to continue making sandwiches, "I would take them out there but I still have to make food for 6 more people."

"Yeah, ok, I can do it." she sighed, shoving a few chips into her mouth before she grabbed the plate Lori was handing her.

"I'll send Carol out with your brother's in a little bit."

Heather faltered by the doorway, biting her tongue to keep from asking why Carol couldn't take Daryl his sandwich? She felt like she was being set up and when she turned around, she could see the apology already showing on Lori's face.

"You're the only person he isn't an asshole to. I don't have the energy to deal with anyone crying about his temper today." Lori explained, tucking her hair behind her ear, "I'm not asking you to talk to him, just give him his food."

"You've got a lot of nerve, Mrs. Grimes." Heather shook her head, pushing her lips together as she turned around to exit the kitchen.

She wasn't angry at the way Lori handled things, just annoyed and when she got closer to the barn, the annoyance turned to guilt as she saw Daryl's back come into view. He was wearing his leather jacket and the angel wings that were sewn onto the back stood out against the dullness of the barn. He spun around when he heard footsteps and Heather saw him scowl instantly when he saw her.

"Whadaya want?" he questioned, turning his back to her again.

"Lori wanted me to bring you some food." she said, standing beside him.

She held the plate out to him and nodded when he grabbed it from her. He began eating it, keeping his eyes straight ahead. She knew this was the proper time to apologize but she wasn't even sure what to begin. Daryl sensed her hesitation and he looked down to her.

"Thought ya didn't want to be around me." he said, setting the sandwich down on the plate.

"I didn't." she agreed, shifting uncomfortably on her leg.

She paused, seeing Rick's car pull up in the driveway. They had been gone longer than he said they would and when he stepped out, she saw his face was covered in bruises. It confused her until Shane got out and he as well, was bruised. After a moment, she could see the back door being open.

"So why're ya still here?" he asked, taking her focus off the scene unfolding in front of them.

She swallowed and looked up at him, "I wanted to apologize, for earlier."

Daryl hadn't expected her to apologize. He had actually spent the majority of his time away from her trying to find a way he could apologize to her. He wasn't used to saying sorry for anything and just thinking the words made him cringe.

"Don't." he shook his head, "You got no reason to be sorry."

Heather looked down to her feet, trying to pay attention to what he was saying and not look to where Rick pulled Randall out of the car. She felt a sense of defeat when she saw him.

"I just feel bad about it," she said, shrugging her shoulders.

Daryl wanted to say more but he looked up then and saw what she had been seeing. Rick was heading their way, Randall still with him. No words had to be exchanged between them and Daryl knew to open the barn door. Heather followed after him, hearing Rick yell to get the door open.

"And watch your brother." he called as he got closer to them.

Heather nodded and walked into the barn, feeling her arms fall to her sides when she noticed her brother wasn't there. The blindfold and ropes that had bound his arms and feet were lying on the ground by the pole they had him chained to.

She turned and looked to Daryl, opening her mouth to speak. Daryl took a step in but before he could do anything, Heather felt an arm grab onto her tightly. She tried to fight back but in a second, James had grabbed the gun she had tucked into her pants and pulled her hunting knife from it's holder, placing it to her throat.

She held her hands up without thinking, seeing how Daryl raised his crossbow. He wanted to shoot and she could see the anger in his eyes.

"Rick!" Daryl yelled, wondering why the sheriff still hadn't reached them.

"You better put your bow down." James said loud enough for Daryl to hear him.

Daryl shook his head and kept it up, aimed right at James's head. Heather was panicking, the knife held tightly against her throat. She could feel the blade pressing into the skin, making small tears as James tried pulling her back with him. He had the gun pointed at Daryl though Daryl didn't seem to notice.

She shouldn't have been surprised. Her brother had been the only one in their small town to break out of handcuffs in the back of a cop car. He was infamous there for getting out of tight situations. It was foolish to think he couldn't get out of rope.

"Daryl, put it down." Heather said, knowing her brother wasn't messing around. She knew what he was capable of.

Daryl shook his head again. He wasn't going to put it down without a fight.

James hadn't anticipated a third person and when Rick made it to the barn, it took him a minute to figure out the scene before him. Daryl took that moment to react and he moved quickly, taking another step before he pulled the trigger.

The gun went off and he felt frozen. James was on the ground, the arrow protruding from his forehead. Heather was lying next to him, motionless.

Rick cursed and Daryl could hear him yelling from the open door of the barn, calling for help. Heather's foot moved and Daryl dropped his crossbow, running over to her. Her neck was bleeding heavily where the knife had cut into her but she was alive.

Daryl pressed his hand against the wound, trying to think of anything to say that could comfort her. He didn't think before he reacted and now he discovered he would have to tell her that he killed her brother. If she hadn't already figured it out.

"Is she ok?" Rick asked from the other side of the barn.

"Dunno, we need Hershel." Daryl stated calmly, watching how Heather's eyes didn't leave his face.

Seeing her in pain shattered something inside of him and the more blood that covered his hands made him feel sick. Protecting her was more difficult than it should've been, he was finding out, but he didn't have to convince himself that she was worth it.

Daryl reached around her and pulled her up, keeping his hand still placed firmly on her neck. She held onto him, taking in steady breaths as he looked down to her.

"I need ya to put pressure on this." he told her, replacing his hand with her own.

She nodded and held onto her neck tightly as he lifted her up. He stood up with her and carried her into the house, his mind moving too fast to hear what Rick was saying behind him. His only concern was making sure she was ok.

Hershel met them on the front porch of the house, motioning for Daryl to follow him. They stayed in the living room, using the couch as a bed, since everyone else was using the beds for their own use. After looking at the cut, Hershel informed them that she would only need some stitches. She had only been cut when her brother fell backwards.

Daryl added another one of her injuries to his guilt list.

He stitched up the wound and gave her a few pain killers, something to dull the pain in her neck. Rick stayed for a few minutes, until she had fallen asleep, then he leaned down, kissed her forehead and left the house. Everyone else had gone their ways, relief evident when they realized nothing was seriously wrong with Heather.

Daryl stayed, sitting in his chair on the other side of the room. He looked at her figure lying on the couch, the blood still on her neck and lower face. He felt like they had done this before and it made him uneasy. How many times would she get hurt like this? How many times would he be able to get there in time?

He pushed the thought from his head and tried to get some sleep. He woke up every twenty minutes or so, turning his head in her direction. She was still sleeping, the blankets moving with each breath she took. She turned on the couch and sat up slowly. Daryl instantly wanted to tell her to lay back down but he stopped when she stood up. She walked over to the chair and climbed onto it with him, pulling the blankets up around them as she situation herself on his lap.

He tried to remain still, his first reaction to push her away. He took in a deep breath and slid his arm around her, closing his eyes as she rested her head against his collarbone.

"What're ya-" he started, wincing as she held onto his side tightly.

"Shut up and go to sleep." she sighed, her breath warm on his neck.

He pressed his lips together. There was no denying the feeling. Her body so close to his only intensified the burning in his gut. He gripped her shoulder firmly, rubbing his thumb along her skin. The barrier between them was giving way, her hand against his chest as he pressed back into her. She looked up at him with dark, fearful eyes and he had to force himself not to lean his face down and kiss her. His heart was racing and his breath shallow.

In that moment, after so many years, he finally understood what it meant to truly care for somebody.


	33. Chapter 33

The next morning came and Daryl found himself wishing he could rewind just a few hours back. Heather was lying on him still, her hand tightly gripping his side while her forehead rested against the side of his neck. He took in a deep breath and situated his arm around her, sliding his hand down her arm.

He felt refreshed, like the few hours of sleep he had gotten shooed away whatever demons were battling inside his head. He realized it was because she was with him and he didn't need to worry about whether or not she was in danger. He had even pushed away the insecure thoughts he got every time she even touched him. It wasn't easy but reminding himself of her most current injury was enough for him relax.

She moved in his arms, adjusting herself so her legs were stretched out between his. He could tell she was awake but he didn't want to say anything to her, mostly for lack of something to say. She moved her head away from him, stifling a yawn as she wiped the sleep from her eyes.

"What time is it?" she asked him, her throat scratchy.

Daryl sighed and moved his hand to the arm rest, looking past her at the clock. It was just after 6 am, which meant someone would be waking up for watch soon. The thought shook Daryl out of his comfortability but he tried to remain calm.

He watched as Heather gently ran her fingers of the bandage on her neck, unaware that he was watching her. She stayed on his lap for another moment until they both heard an alarm go off somewhere within the house. He didn't need to say anything to her. She slowly stood from his lap and moved herself to the couch, where she sat down and pulled on her shoes.

There was a silence between them that felt strained. Daryl figured she was going to be upset about what happened to her brother. What _he _did to her brother. But she never said anything about it. He knew she had feelings on the matter though, which bothered him when it became obvious she wasn't going to mention them to him.

And then there was Randall.

Rick and Shane hadn't been able to drop him at the site they picked, it being overrun by walkers. Daryl didn't bother asking them what else had happened. The tell-tale bruises on each of their faces enough of an explanation for him. Daryl could see that Rick was losing his trust in Shane.

Rick stepped into the living room then, running a hand through his hair to tame the loose strands that stuck up in every way. He had planned on going right out to the RV, not thinking Heather or Daryl would be awake. When he saw that they were, he greeted them both and made his way to the couch, where he sat down next to Heather.

"How're you feelin?" he asked her, nodding to himself when he noticed she looked well rested.

"I'm fine. Just a little sore." she smiled, reaching up to touch her neck without thinking.

Rick nodded again and took in a deep breath. Daryl tried to stay still as he waited for what Rick was preparing to say, knowing from the way the older man was stiff in his movements that it was going to be some sort of speech. He couldn't seem to go a day without bringing one up.

"We know what needs to be done with Randall," Rick started, keeping his eyes to the ground as he spoke, "It's just a matter of when. Once everyone wakes up, I'm going to talk to them, ask their opinions, and we'll go from there. In the meantime, Heather, we'll get your brother buried if that's what you want."

Daryl looked to her at the mention of her name. She started shaking her head slowly, turning to Rick.

"I can do it myself." she told him, fidgeting with her hands in her lap.

She saw the struggle in Rick's mind as he tried not to say what he was thinking, which was mostly him wanting to raise his voice at the stubbornness she wouldn't let go of. He didn't have the energy to argue with her.

"Whatever you want to do." he sighed, pressing his lips together, "There's shovels in the barn. If you need help, please ask someone."

She thanked him before grabbing her jacket and pulling it on. Daryl shifted in his chair, watching as she picked up her bat and left the house without another word. Rick remained sitting, his hands folded in his lap.

"Thank you," Rick said, nodding his head at Daryl. The corner of his lip pulled up into a small, non-threatening smile. "For...reacting. As quickly as you did."

Daryl turned his head to the floor, biting back a frown as his narrowed his eyes.

"Don't need to thank me." he muttered, shaking his head.

Rick knew he wasn't going to get anything from Daryl so he nodded again and rose. Daryl waited until he was outside before he grabbed his bow and left the house. He didn't know what he was doing, he just needed to stay busy. His mind kept racing back to Heather and he found it hard to focus on anything else when he thought of how easy it was for her to just crawl onto his lap. She didn't seem the slightest bit uncomfortable and he took that as a sign she was no longer mad at him, despite her brother's fate.

T-Dog was on top of the RV and when Daryl walked by, he waved and greeted him. Daryl nodded his head in return and saw Rick standing by the barn with Dale and Shane, who had someone gotten outside without anyone noticing. Dale looked upset and Daryl took that as his cue to go hunting.

"Let Rick know I'll be out, will ya?" Daryl called up to T-Dog, waiting for him to agree before he pulled his bow onto his shoulder and stalked past the mailbox.

He heard the unmistakeable sound of dirt being thrown by a shovel and he craned his neck, staring at Heather as she dug her brother's grave. He felt a drop in the pit of his stomach and he instantly wanted to go over to where she was and help her. His instincts weren't enough to persuade him, as he had already convinced himself she wanted to do it by herself. He decided he would help her if she was still digging when he got back.

When he made it to the woods, he lifted his crossbow into his hands and crouched slightly, listening for any animals that might be running around. There hadn't been many rabbits lately but he discovered there seemed to be an endless amount of squirrels constantly occupying the area surrounding the farm.

After a couple of hours, Daryl had only managed to catch five squirrels, but he figured it was enough to keep the camp satisfied for the night. He slung them onto his back and turned back in the direction of the farm, content with how his mind had been distracted the entire time he had been hunting.

He broke through he tree line and raised his arm up, letting whoever was on the RV know that it was just him. He didn't want to risk being shot again so he walked as normal as possible, keeping his back straight and his head high. He felt ridiculous but his constant headaches were enough for him to be extra careful.

Dale managed to find him the second he stepped back onto Hershel's land. He looked as if he had been searching for him and Daryl tried to hide his annoyance.

"What do ya want?" he questioned harshly, not slowing in his step as the old man turned to walk with him.

"Rick's giving me the rest of the day to convince everyone to let the kid go instead of killing him." Dale told him, letting out a sigh as Daryl finally slowed.

"So what do ya want from me?" Daryl wondered, shaking his head as Dale looked at him, desperate for some sort of help.

"I want you to change your mind." Dale held his hand up as Daryl began to protest, "I know, he's dangerous. But I say we try taking him another place, even further away so there's no chance of him coming back."

"Yeah, you saw what happened last time." Daryl said bitterly, "I ain't gonna change my mind."

"Daryl, please. It doesn't have to be like this, we don't have to be barbarians. Not all of us are like Shane. You're a good man, there has to be something I can do to change your mind."

Daryl felt himself flinch at the words. _You're a good man._ He had never heard the words said to him before the end came, but it seemed ever since then, that's what people thought of him. Carol had said he was, back when he had gotten injured. She had sat in the room with him while everyone ate dinner downstairs. They didn't say much but before she left, she had uttered those words to him.

He questioned whether or not the words were true. A part of him believed he was good, unlike his brother or even his father. But the other half reminded him of where he came from and the words just seemed liked a big joke to him. Dale was waiting for an answer, anything from Daryl but the hunter's mind was somewhere else. He looked over to the fence, next to the spot where Heather was still digging. She was in the hole now, the top of her head visible from where Daryl was standing.

Being a good man wasn't easy for Daryl to accept but when he looked at her, struggling with the dirt and shovel, he knew he couldn't turn his back on her. She was his to protect and his decision became final.

"Made up my mind, Dale." Daryl concluded, handing the old man the string of squirrels he had, "What does it matter anyway? This group's broken."

Dale was going to protest and continue to try to convince him otherwise but Daryl turned and headed in Heather's direction. He meant what he had said and he could tell Dale was thinking about it. The group may not have been completely broken but Daryl could see them unraveling.

He got closer and saw Heather's brother had been pulled over to where she was, his body covered with a sheet. There was a small blood stain near the top of it and Daryl faltered in his steps.

Heather looked up at him when he peered down into the hole, impressed by how deep she had gotten it. She looked tired and he saw that her shoulder was covered in a light layer of blood, the few stitches that hadn't been taken out were now broken.

"Your arrow's by the sheet." she told him, covering her brow with a hand.

Daryl turned slightly and saw it lying by her brother's body. She had pulled it out herself.

"Can you help me out?" she asked, reaching her hand up, "I made the mistake of getting in here and now I can't get out."

Daryl set his bow down and grabbed onto her wrist, pulling her up and out of the hole. She thanked him, as she always did, and wiped her hands off onto her jeans. She had taken her jacket off and Daryl noticed that she was only wearing a light t-shirt.

"Did Dale find you?" she questioned, kneeling down by the corpse.

"Yeah. He talk to you too?"

Heather looked up at him and smiled, shaking her head.

"I think he wanted to but you're the one he really wanted to talk to. What'd he want?"

"Tried makin' me change my mind about Randall." Daryl told her, watching her nod at his words.

She ran a hand through her hair, grabbing it in her fist as she pulled it into a loose bun. It was cold out but after digging for so long, she was sweating and her hair stuck to the back of her neck.

"He's too good." she said quietly, looking down at her brother.

Daryl nodded, agreeing with her. Dale was probably the best person in the entire group, his genuine kindness was never ending. He knew what Heather had meant with her statement; he was too good for this world.

Heather leaned down and grabbed onto James's legs, hoisting them up as she dragged him closer to the hole. Daryl saw her struggle, trying to decide the best way to put him in. He hesitated before he stepped around his bow and bent down, grasping James's arms. Heather looked at him and pressed her lips into a sad smile, one that made Daryl wince.

She dropped down into the hole, letting the legs hang over the edge before she grabbed them again and Daryl lowered the body in. Once she had him lying straight, how she wanted, she reached her hand up and Daryl helped her out. Again, she thanked him. Dale may have been too good but Daryl thought she was too polite.

He waited for her to say something, a eulogy or even any kind of hate, but she said nothing. She stared at the hole for a minute, then took in a deep breath and grabbed the shovel. She pushed the dirt in, quietly and slowly. There was a stiffness in her movements and Daryl moved forward, grabbing the shovel from her hands. She didn't question him as she stepped back and let him take over.

Heather sat down on the ground, her eyes following the dirt as it was tossed into the hole. Daryl glanced over at her every few minutes from the corner of his eyes, wanting her to say something. Her silence worried him and he found it hard to think about anything else. She stretched her leg out in front of her and reached her hand into her pocket. Daryl saw her pull out a brown wallet and as she opened it, he realized it was her brother's.

"What's that?" he asked anyway, finding a starting point.

"Wallet." she held it up, turning in his direction.

"No shit," he shook his head, "I mean, why're ya holdin' it?"

He felt a small victory when she smirked briefly and then shrugged.

"Just looking through it. He had a bunch of family pictures I haven't seen in years." she told him, looking back down to the wallet.

Daryl stopped the shovel and rested on his leg, nodding at her.

"Lemme see."

She smiled again and pushed herself up. He tried to hide his own smile when she limped over to him and held it out in his direction. He took it from her and flipped through the transparent slips, stopping as she explained who each person was. He noticed her voice changed when she pointed out her mom, the softening a hint at how close the two were. Daryl winced.

"She's pretty." he muttered quietly, looking at the way the woman's bronze hair framed her face just like Heather's did. "You look like her."

"Does that mean you think I'm pretty?" Heather didn't miss a beat and Daryl turned his head, feeling his face heat up when he saw she was grinning at him.

She was just messing around and he knew that but he could feel himself beginning to get defensive. He pushed the wallet back into her hands and grabbed the shovel again.

"Shut up." he mumbled, shaking his head.

Heather closed the wallet and put it into her back pocket, the smile still lingering on her face as Daryl filled the grave. She sat back down on the ground and kept quiet.

Once the hole was filled, Daryl set the shovel down. He saw Rick heading their way and if he guessed the right time, dinner was probably ready. He was starving.

"You get it taken care of?" Rick looked down to Heather, who nodded and stood up, "Ok, well here's the plan. We're going to eat dinner and then gather everyone up to discuss the solution."

He waited for both of them to nod before he turned around and went back to the house. Heather picked up her jacket and pulled it around her as Daryl grabbed his bow off the ground. She walked next to him into the house and for once, Daryl didn't notice the way Carol and Lori looked at them.

Dinner was awkward, the tension thick in the air as everyone tried to force food into their stomachs. One by one, everyone put their plates into the sink and made their way into the living room. Hershel's family was gathered on one side, Maggie standing closest to the group.

Dale began talking and Heather let her head drop, not able to look him in the eyes. She had no reason to change her mind or even want to but knowing she was disappointing him was a blow to the chest. She could only imagine how everyone else felt. They knew him better and longer than she had.

"So this is what we've become?" Dale questioned helplessly, knowing there was no way to win the fight.

He looked around the room at everyone, trying to find anyone who would side with him. Heather nearly gave in until she heard Andrea speak up, agreeing with him.

"He's right," she said, "there has to be another way."

It became obvious then, that no matter how much Dale tried to plead with everyone, the kid was still going to be killed. Dale felt like crying, the realization that people could lose their humanity when they were struggling to survive was too much for him. He pulled his gun around his shoulder and walked over to Daryl, putting his hand on the younger man's shoulder.

"You're right," Dale told him, "this group is broken."

He left then and Daryl was left with the questioning stares from the rest of the group. He hated being put on the spot. Rick turned around and looked at him, no question in his eyes as he bit down on his lip.

"You gonna come?" RIck asked him, silently hoping Daryl would accompany him.

Daryl didn't hesitate before he nodded. Rick was relieved as he called Shane's name and the three of them headed outside. Heather waited until they left before she grabbed her bat and pushed past the now guilt ridden group. They were still in denial.

She stayed away from the barn, though she never took her eyes away from it as she wandered slowly around the property. Minutes passed and eventually Daryl emerged from the barn. He was followed by Rick and Shane and she could see that Carl was with them. She cursed, knowing what happened. She met up with Daryl, who stopped when he saw her.

"What happened?" she asked, watching as he squinted and looked past her, shaking his head.

"Kid showed up. Rick couldn't do it." he explained, seeing the dismay on her face.

"It's not going to happen then?"

Daryl shrugged and sighed. He wanted to go back in there and do it himself, for her, but he knew Rick would never let him. She breathed out and looked up at him. Her lips parted but before she could say anything, a loud scream tore through the air.

Dale.

Heather and Daryl both took off running in the direction of the scream, realizing they were the closest to him. Daryl saw the walker hovering over Dale and without thinking, he dove it, knocking him onto the ground. Heather covered her mouth as she kneeled by Dale's side. The walker had torn open his stomach and the contents were surrounding his body.

"Dale, hold on. We're getting help." she told him as calmly as possible, her voice shaking.

"Over here!" Daryl yelled, waving his flashlight in the air as the others ran towards them.

He moved next to Heather, who was trying to assure Dale everything would be ok. Normally he would've said something to dampen any feelings of hope, but he could see the old man was suffering and he needed all of the kind words he could get.

Heather moved out of the way as the group caught up with them, an chorus of cries echoing as they saw what had become of their beloved. She stood back as Rick begged Hershel to help and when the doctor said there was nothing he could do, Heather saw the Rick's face fall.

There was nothing he could do.

"He's suffering." Andrea said, looking up at Rick.

He knew what he had to do but when he raised the gun, he couldn't find the strength to pull the trigger. Daryl saw the uncertainty and as he had done with the shovel, he took the gun from Rick's hand and lowered himself closer to the ground.

"Sorry, brother." he said gently, looking Dale in the eyes before he pulled the trigger.

Silence blanketed the group as Daryl stood up and handed Rick his gun. No one knew what to do next, the night had taken a turn for the worse. Daryl saw no reason to stay, his gut sinking when he looked to Heather and saw her looking back at him. Shooting Dale hadn't felt right and Heather could see the shock of it setting in Daryl's face. He wanted to hide. Leaving was the second best thing he could do.

Heather watched as he turned around and started walking, picking his bow up off the ground where he had dropped it in the scuffle. He headed for the tree furthest from the house, the place he had originally wanted to put his tent after Sophia had been found. It was secluded.

He reached into his pocket and pulled out the pack of cigarettes he kept there for emergencies, never knowing when he would need one. After lighting it and inhaling, he leaned against the tree and looked to the ground. He heard footsteps and without turning around, he knew it was Heather.

She stood quietly beside him, holding her hand out. He turned his head as he handed her to cigarette, watching her place it between her lips and take a drag. She closed her eyes when she exhaled, as if she was in heaven. She handed it back and he noticed his hands were shaking.

"Are you ok?" she asked lightly, not knowing what sort of mood he was in.

He didn't say anything. He didn't know what to say. Lying and saying he was made him feel like an asshole and at the moment, he didn't want to feel any worse.

"You did the right thing." she said, her voice still soft.

Daryl flicked the cigarette to the ground, turning his body and looked at her. He was trying to keep in mind that she was just trying to comfort him, at least make him feel like he really did the right thing.

"Don't feel like the right thing." he shook his head, looking to the ground.

Heather twitched in place, a frown on her lips as Daryl tilted his head back up at her. He looked vulnerable and even though it was dark, he didn't want her to see him.

She took a step forward and reached her hand out, placing it against his chest lightly. He kept his eyes on hers as she slid her hand up to his collar bone, stepping closer to him as her hand slid up to his neck. Her movements were cautious, careful, as she stood on her toes and gently leaned her body against his. His chest rose while her hand snaked around his shoulders, pulling him into a loose hug.

His arms were still at his sides, unsure of what he was supposed to do. He had never been hugged by anyone before and the feeling was strange. She didn't seem to mind his lack of response as she lowered herself back down, her head looking at his chest. Her hand moved back down to his collar bone, her thumb resting softly on the hollow of his throat. Her fingertips were cold against his flesh.

"You're a good man." she whispered, her voice sweet.

Daryl closed his eyes. Those words. He reached up and held onto her arms, bringing her to him again. His hands moved up to the sides of her neck, using his thumbs to lift her head back up to him. He could see the worry in her eyes as she gripped his shoulder in her small hand.

His mind began racing, like usual, but he forced away anything he was thinking. He discovered it was easier to react when he cleared his thoughts. He leaned in slowly, licking his bottom lips lightly before pressing them against hers. Her breathed hitched in her throat as he tilted his head and kissed her again gently. He pulled away then, keeping his hands on her neck.

She looked away from him. taking in a deep breath. The sick feeling in Daryl's gut had lessened but it had been replaced by an intense desire. He let his hands drop to his sides, swallowing the lump in his throat.

"Let's go inside." he cleared his throat, thankful it was still dark out.

Heather nodded and turned around, taking a step towards the house. Daryl waited a second, trying to gather himself, then followed after her.

His mind was still racing but the one thought it kept going back to, was the simple statement Heather had proclaimed. Both Dale and Carol had said it but when Heather said it, it actually made him think. She thought he was a good man. As much as he doubted himself, he realized he wanted to prove to her that she wasn't wrong about him.

* * *

**Don't hate me! I know I said I wasn't planning on killing Dale, but after a few revisions, I realized that he had to die in order for certain things to happen in the future. Just so you know, I'm still planning on killing off other people at this point. You guys have given me some great suggestions and one of those people are next. :)**

**I have about three more chapters for season 2, then we'll be moving onto either the comic books continuances, or season 3, since it will be on by then. Let me know what you guys think I should do.**

**Please leave your reviews and I promise I'll be up with another chapter later this week.**


	34. Chapter 34

Heather followed Daryl to the stairs leading into the house, stopping on the bottom one when she looked to the RV and saw Rick sitting on top, his shotgun resting across his lap. She hesitated, turning her head to see Daryl looking down at her, waiting for her to go inside with him. He glanced past her, understanding what she was thinking, then nodded and went inside the house by himself.

She made her way to the RV, climbing the ladder slowly and once she was on top, she took the seat that was placed next to Rick's chair. She heard him breathe in softly, his fingers tapping on his knee.

Her words halted her in mouth, not sure if asking "Are you ok?" was something that should be asked. It was obvious something wasn't ok, nothing had been ok.

He leaned his head to the side, knowing what she was doing. He had seen her and Daryl by the tree, their movements had been controlled by their concern for each other. She did her part in comforting him and now, she was doing the same for Rick.

"I can't seem to convince myself he's dead. It doesn't feel like it really happened." Rick sighed, lifting his hand up to his forehead. He pressed his fingers against his brow and shook his head.

"He didn't deserve to go like that." Heather shook her head as well, taking in a deep breath.

They paused in their conversation; Heather trying to find something reassuring to say to him, Rick not knowing what to say without having a complete breakdown. He was exhausted, she could tell in the way his head hung and his eyelids looked heavy.

Heather reached out in the space between them and touched his forearm lightly, her fingers squeezing for a moment. Rick nodded his head absentmindedly and moved his hand over hers, patting it softly before he lifted it back up to his forehead. The gesture was simple but it did what she had wanted it to. Rick's tension had thinned and he seemed to take her motion as one of comfort.

"Do you think I can keep this group alive?" he asked her after a minute, turning his head in her direction.

It was a stale question and Heather looked down to her lap. Of course she trusted Rick, more so than almost anyone in the group aside from Daryl, but putting complete trust in one person could be fatal.

"I think that's too much responsibility for one person," she started, looking back up to him, "you're doing the best you can but you have to understand that accidents can happen. Like tonight. We live in a very cruel world, Rick, and you're exhausted."

Rick took in a deep breath and pressed his lips together, turning his head back to the ground. He never doubted her loyalty in him and even after everything that had happened to her the last few days, she still defended him fiercely.

"But...yeah. I think you can keep this group alive longer than anyone else." she finished, folding her hands together in her lap.

He nodded his head.

"Thank you." he said quietly, "I'm real sorry about what happened to your brother."

He heard her snort and when he turned his head, she was holding back a smile. She shook her head and looked at him.

"Don't be sorry. He was my brother and I loved him, but he deserved it."

"You're not upset about Daryl killing him?" Rick wondered.

She shook her head again, "Daryl was just looking out for me. He saw an opportunity and he took it. I owe him."

"Looks like we both do." Rick stated through a breath, remembering how Daryl had helped him earlier when he couldn't do it himself.

They sat in silence, both of their minds thinking about Daryl, for different reasons. It became clear to Rick how valuable the younger man had proved himself to be. He took risks for the group, did things no one else wanted to and never once did he complain about it.

More time passed and neither of them said anything else. Rick didn't ask her to leave and she felt no reason to abandon him, even if they weren't talking. Glenn came out after another hour or so, ready for his shift. Heather could see the stiffness in his movements, not wanting to betray the voice that told him to keep the tears in. He was still upset and would be for quite some time.

"You need anything, you come get me." Rick told him, resting his hand on the young man's shoulder for a moment before nodding his head at Heather.

She hesitated before she touched Glenn's arm, getting a small but sad smile out of him as she turned to go into the house with Rick. He stopped her before they got inside, aware that Daryl was asleep just a few steps away.

"I'm going to get a group together in the morning to check the fences around the property. I need you to stay here and make sure things run smoothly while I take care of some business. Can you do that?" he asked her, knowing she would agree to it.

She nodded her head, not questioning who was going to be in the group. Rick nodded too, biting down on his lip. He wanted to say more to her but he could tell she was tired and he would be a liar if he said he wasn't tired as well. He opened the door and let Heather walk past him inside, clapping his hand on the back of her neck lightly before he headed up to his room.

Heather moved quietly in the living room, careful not to wake Daryl. He was reclined in his chair, a blanket pulled up to the bottom of his jaw, his head turned to the side. She could see through the thin light that his normal scowl had disappeared and he looked at ease, his hair strewn across his ear.

She thought of how he kissed her, the roughness he could never get rid of was scarce, as if he was trying his hardest to be gentle with her. He had seemed to crumble under her words and it put a weight on her heart, knowing he had never thought of himself as a good man.

She took in a deep breath and kicked her shoes off, pulling the blanket up as she laid back on the couch. The farm had adapted to the cold weather outside, a slight chill sweeping through the house. Heather sat up, looking across the room to Daryl, who had stirred, the blanket tightening around him. She could tell he was awake.

"Are you awake?" she whispered, laying back on the couch.

She heard him sigh heavily before he moved again.

"No." he growled, not bothering to keep to a whisper.

She smiled, "I can't sleep."

There was silence as Daryl tried to figure out what to say. Heather let him take his time, knowing he was still lost in his own thoughts. She discovered that whenever a wall went up between the two of them, he would eventually lower it for her, if she gave him time. She was always patient.

"C'mere." his voice went quiet, only the sound of him moving on the chair echoing through the room.

Heather rose from the couch and stepped over to the chair, noticing how he wouldn't look at her as he pulled the blanket away from him. She climbed onto his lap, sliding her legs between his as he wrapped the blanket back around them. He didn't move as she got situated, his breathing had even halted. Once she got comfortable, she felt him begin to relax. She leaned her head against his chest and closed her eyes, listening to his heartbeat return to normal.

Daryl leaned his head against the top of the recliner, keeping in mind he had asked her to come to him. He wanted to feel her against him which both annoyed and frustrated him. He hadn't intended on kissing her, not that he hadn't thought about it, the impulse always became to much for him. It didn't exactly help that she never pushed him away. It made him want to do it even more.

He took in a deep breath, feeling the warmth from her body soak into his skin. Without thinking, he wrapped his arm around her, holding her close to him. Whatever they were, friends, allies; he was comforted by her. It was strange that after so many years of not having anyone, he didn't want to think about what would happen once she was gone. He wanted her by his side, to protect. To care for. Dale's death made it all the apparent that anything could happen, no matter how careful you were, and losing her due to a careless mistake was something he couldn't live with.

Heather felt his body tense slightly as Daryl's heart began to speed back up. She had become used to how his moods changed so quickly, like a flash of lightening, especially when he got to thinking too hard. He was his own worst enemy.

She reached her hand up and touched his jawline lightly, her fingertips brushing against his growing facial hair. The hand that snaked around her tightened on her and she felt him breathe in shakily.

"You ok?" she asked him, tilting her head up to look at him.

"Fine." he nodded, his stubbornness stopping him from telling her he wanted her.

She leaned her head back down, moving her body on top of his to adjust her position. He tensed again, gritting his teeth as her hand pressed against his chest. He thanked his self control as she stopped moving, her head against his shoulder.

"You done?" he questioned, wincing at the harshness that escaped past his lips.

She didn't seem to notice as she laughed quietly, nodding her head. Daryl breathed in, absentmindedly moving his thumb along her side. He felt her hand grip his shirt between her fingers, pulling him against her as close as she could.

"Gotta be up for my watch in 'bout three hours."

Daryl wasn't sure why he said anything, the silence wasn't uncomfortable. He thought it was to stay distracted, forget the way her body felt against his and the way she held onto him tightly. But he realized he didn't want to be distracted from it.

"I'll be gone before then." she told him quietly, already knowing he wouldn't want to be caught laying with her by someone else.

He didn't like the way the words sounded when she spoke them. Of course he wouldn't say anything to disagree with them though. He wondered how long they would be doing this, staying in each other's company. From past experiences, he knew she would get tired of him and push him away. He was surprised she had even made an effort to get to know him at all. The few girls he had been with only stayed with him for a night, sometimes not even that.

"Why do ya always hang around me?" he couldn't stop the question, his mouth moving much faster than his mind.

He instantly wanted to take it back and when she remained silent for a minute, he bit down on his bottom lip. She didn't even know how to start answering his question. The most obvious answer came to mind and she figured it was the easiest to explain.

"I feel safe with you." she said softly, leaning her head up to look at him.

He looked unsure, his trademark scowl back. He wanted more from her.

"What 'bout right now?"

Heather knew what he was doing. In the time she'd known him, she found out he was very insecure. Not necessarily in his looks or his own personality, but he was very apprehensive of other people's intentions. He needed her to tell him why she chose him over anyone else.

He wasn't looking at her and she became aware that he didn't want to appear vulnerable. She looked away from him, letting her hair fall in front of her face, using it as a shield so neither of them would lock up.

"I feel safe with you," she repeated, "and when we're here, like this, I feel the safest."

The simple declaration was enough for Daryl. Suddenly, he felt like he understood the entirety of their relationship and he lost all the tension in his bones. He reached out and brushed her hair out of the way, trying to keep his hand gentle as he pulled her back against him. She smiled lightly, moving her hand up to his neck as he leaned his forehead against hers.

"Don't leave my sight, ok?" he ordered, his voice velvet over steel, "whatever happens, stay where I can see ya."

She nodded, understanding how important it was for her to listen to him. Daryl didn't care for anyone, other than himself, and having him as her protector was something she didn't want to question.

Daryl pulled his head away and lifted his hand up, steadying it before he gently touched the side of her face. Running it along her scar, as he always did. He felt his hand falter as she looked up at him, the lump in his throat hard to swallow. He was nervous.

He took in a deep breath, sliding his fingertips down to her jawline, then to her chin which he tilted up. She was trembling, her fingers pressing into his collarbone. Her breathing sped up as he leaned in again, briefly hesitating before he finally brushed his lips against hers. She let him move slowly, knowing that if she made a move, he would freeze up and that would end whatever it was he was starting.

Daryl let his lips linger on hers for a moment, his own body beginning to shake. He had only meant to give her a single kiss, but as usual, his body took over for him and he forced the voice in his head that told him to stop, to go away. He didn't want to stop and from the way she held onto him, she didn't want him to stop either.

He pulled her closer to him, taking his lips away for a second before he kissed here again, much rougher than before. She responded to his lips with the same amount of urgency, the tension between them finally dissipating. He heard her sigh into the kiss and when he parted his lips, she clutched at his skin, her fingers digging lightly into his neck.

Something inside him snapped the second he tasted her and she felt him grip her tighter in his arms. The kiss deepened, a quiet moan vibrating in his mouth as she lifted her hand between them and held onto the back of his neck, her fingers tangled in his hair.

Daryl's mind was racing with things he wanted to do and that voice that told him to stop. He only had one thing on his mind and the longer he kissed her, the harder it was for him to ignore. He pushed forward on her, trying to find a comfortable position on the chair, which was nearly impossible. His foot slipped on the footrest and he reached up to hold onto her, his hand gripping the side of her neck.

She hissed and pushed at his chest, pulling away from the kiss with labored breathing. Daryl pulled himself up and looked down at her, the sudden loss of contact confusing. She held her hand on her neck where his hand had been, the bandage beneath showing a line of blood.

"I'm sorry." he said quickly, running a hand through his hair as he leaned forward, moving her hand out of the way.

"It's ok." she responded quietly, turning her head as he removed the bandage.

His face was flushed and even through the dark, he could see hers was a light shade of pink. His breathing was still heavy, his hands still shaking, as he tried to make sense of what just happened. Normally, he could contain himself, at least enough to not let it get out of hand. But the moment her body responded to him, he could stop himself. He was glad they only had the nights together.

After he cleaned up the blood and re-bandaged it for her, he knew he wasn't going to be able to get to sleep. Especially if they couldn't finish what he had started and he didn't trust himself enough to not hurt her again. He had never been a clumsy person but he couldn't even risk something as small as his hand hitting her the wrong way. Being so close to her was like torture and he couldn't imagine having to spend the rest of the night doing nothing with her.

"I'm gonna go out early. Cover for Glenn." he told her pulling himself up from the chair.

She didn't say anything as she stood up as well, touching the bandage on her neck. Without having to say much, Daryl had made it clear that he cared about her. She understood he was embarrassed and she didn't want to make it worse for him, so she laid down on the couch and covered herself up. He stood in place for another moment, trying to calm down, then left the living room and went outside.

* * *

**Literally have two more chapters then we'll be on season three, or at least between season two and three. I have some ideas for what could happen during the winter. Let me know if you guys have anything you want in there!**

Also, Carol and Lori are going to be playing a huge role soon. Can you guess why? :)  



	35. Chapter 35

The sun had risen above the tree lines by the time Daryl had finished making his way around the property. He held his crossbow tight, looking towards the RV. Glenn had stayed out with him for the rest of the night, neither of them able to sleep at all. They took turns digging Dale's grave and watching for walkers in the darkness. The kid hadn't said much to Daryl, which surprisingly had been unsettling for him.

"Fences seem to be doin' alright." Daryl stated as he stood in front of the RV.

Glenn nodded, standing up on the roof. He was holding the binoculars in one hand and his shotgun in the other, loosely gripped between his fingers.

"Rick was just looking for you." Glenn told him, "He's inside the house waking everyone up."

Daryl turned his head to the house, noticing how the lights were being flipped on inside even though the sun was up to brighten the rooms for them. He headed into the house, stopping in the living room when he saw Rick, Shane, and Heather talking. Rick looked up and nodded at him, motioning for him to join them.

"I'm sending a few people out to check the fences on the outside of the property after we bury Dale. Shane, Andrea, and T-Dog are the only ones to volunteer so far, would you want to help them out?"

Daryl hesitated only slightly, trying not to look at Heather. He had told her to stay where he could see her, for his own sake, and now he was leaving the property. It didn't make him feel comfortable but he nodded anyway, keeping in mind Rick would be at the farm and there was no possible way she could get hurt.

"Couldn't hurt." he muttered.

Rick continued talking, telling Heather what she should be doing while the group was gone, which was make sure no one stepped out of line. Daryl didn't want to mention that with Shane gone, she wouldn't have to worry about anything. When he finished giving instructions, he sighed and the small group knew it was time to bury Dale. Daryl waited until Heather had walked past him before he turned to leave, following behind her slowly.

The group gathered near the east side of the farm's property; the place where they had buried Hershel's family and Sophia. They seemed to be in a daze, the reality of their situation almost too much for anyone to handle. They were used to losing people but Dale was a different story and as Rick spoke about him, Heather could see the group breaking.

Andrea, Glenn, and T-Dog were completely mute, their eyes glassed over as they stared numbly at the ground. Carol, Lori, and Carl forced back tears. Even Shane, as horrible as he had been to the older man, looked disturbed. The Greene family hadn't known Dale too well but Heather saw that he had been liked by them as well and they felt for the group.

Daryl was the only one she couldn't see and she knew it was only because he stood behind her. She could feel his eyes on her back as she looked around at the group, observing everyone's reaction. She had become used to it and after the previous night, she more or less expected his gaze to fall upon her.

Rick finished talking, staying silent for a moment as the group looked down to Dale's grave. He knew he wasn't the only one who felt like they were burying what was left of their humanity. The group began to disperse, the day's chores not waiting on anyone. Heather stayed behind longer than everyone else, not wanting to place herself in the middle of a group that was grieving. She heard Daryl move behind her, taking a step in her direction. Neither said anything as he stood next to her, his crossbow pulled up over his shoulder.

"Keep an eye on Shane, will you?" she asked him, turning her head up to look at him.

He winced, confused, then he shrugged.

"Why would I do that?" he wondered.

She turned her head back to the pile of dirt and bit down on her lip.

"He seems...off. Something isn't right with him."

"Yeah, man ain't right in the head." Daryl agreed, "Surprised ya just now figured that out."

Heather snorted and took in a deep breath. He didn't have to say anything else for her to know he would listen to her. Even if he would never admit he was doing it for her. They were silent before he nodded to himself and looked in the direction of the house. Shane and Andrea had both pulled their jackets on and were now walking in their direction.

Daryl turned his head down to Heather and cleared his throat. He wasn't sure what he was supposed to tell her but he felt the need to say something in the space between them.

"Be back in a bit. Don't forget to have Hershel look at yer neck." he told her, wincing again when he thought of the previous night with her.

She smirked and nodded as well, breathing in through her nose as Shane and Andrea caught up to them. Shane had his handgun and Andrea a pitchfork she had taken from the shed. They looked ready to kill something and Heather didn't doubt that they would.

"Ready?" Shane looked at Daryl who only nodded before walking away from them.

Andrea followed after him while Shane stayed behind, looking down at Heather. He was waiting for something but she didn't know what it was. She saw the way he rested the weight on his right leg, biting down on his bottom lip. He was unsure.

"Rick's taking Daryl to drop that kid off." he said, shaking his head, "Old man dies and suddenly this kid gets to live. Don't make sense to me."

"I don't agree with keeping that kid alive," she nodded her head, facing him, "But I'm with Rick on this."

Shane chuckled sarcastically and nodded, "Course you are. He could be the one tryin' to kill you and you would still have his back."

Heather cringed at the thought and shrugged. She immediately knew that Rick wouldn't try to kill her without a reason, not that the situation _would _happen. Her defense comforted her.

"Yeah...whatever." he sighed, his smile fading to a lopsided smirk, "Somethin' needs to be done about that kid before Rick gets back."

He said it low, under his breath, and it made her uneasy. She had been right to tell Daryl to look out for him. He seemed like he was breaking at the seams.

She only nodded again, waiting for him to leave. He did so slowly, as if he couldn't think of anything else to do. It occurred to her that Shane might have been in some sort of shock. Just the day before he had been arguing with Dale, and now he was gone. It may not have been friendly between the two of them but Heather could see now that Shane was running out of people to argue with.

Shane hopped into the front seat of the truck with Andrea while Daryl and T-Dog jumped into the back, their weapons close to them. Daryl caught Heather's eye and nodded once, getting a small smile out of her before the truck pulled away.

Without anything real to do, Heather picked her bat up and headed towards the front of the house. Lori and Carol were stringing up laundry, quietly talking amongst themselves. She didn't want to intrude on their conversation so she smiled kindly at them as she walked into the house, intent on finding Hershel, as Daryl had told her to.

She found him sitting at the kitchen table, a medical book out on the table as he drank a cup of coffee. He greeted her warmly and closed the book, pulling his chair out.

"How does your neck feel?" he asked her, reaching across the table to the small first aid kit that always seemed to be in use.

Heather shrugged and sat down on the chair beside him.

"Sore." she felt like she was always sore, "I accidently bumped it last night and it started bleeding again."

Hershel's response was to scold her but she pulled the bandage off herself and he saw that it hadn't been badly damaged. A stitch had been ripped but other than that, the wound was healing up as it should with no infection.

He decided against stitching it up again, seeing as how she tore them so easily, and instead opted to close it with tape. He changed the dressing and gave her another antibiotic before shooing her out of the house so he could finish reading.

She walked around the farm a few times, checking in on everyone like Rick had asked. It was tedious but she eventually felt comfortable enough to sit down on the front steps of the house after seeing everyone was keeping to their own and doing what they could to pass the time.

Carol and Lori were still doing the laundry, their talking now diminished to nonverbal communication. Heather sat back for a few minutes before she decided to help them with the laundry. They accepted her help right away, Carol giving her a pile of clothes to fold. She realized they were Daryl's as she pulled up a sleeveless flannel shirt in her hands.

"He only owns one shirt that still has it's sleeves."

Heather turned and saw Carol smiling down at her. The smile was odd. Much like the way Shane smiled when he was thinking too hard. It made Heather grimace as she turned back to the pile of clothes.

She had always noticed the way Carol seemed to linger when Daryl was around, but never thought much of it. There had been a reason behind it, she knew, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it. She tried to remember if Carol had always followed after him.

Heather was halfway through the pile when all the little details started adding themselves into the equation. The looks she gave him, the things she said to him, how often Heather had seen them alone together. It didn't make sense to her.

Did Daryl and Carol have a past?

Heather didn't think so. She knew Carol had been married, plus she had Sophia and the end of the world was an unlikely place to start seeing someone.

She stopped moving.

It was unlikely, but Heather was sure, whether she truly wanted to admit it or not, there was something between her and Daryl. That must mean there was something, maybe at one point, between Carol and Daryl as well.

She shook her head to herself, wanting to laugh at how foolish she was being.

There was nothing between her and Daryl.

They were friends.

They were surviving together.

Surely it was the same for Carol and him.

Heather finished folding Daryl's clothes and sighed heavily, wanting to find something else to distract her. She took his clothes inside and set them down on his chair. After all her thinking, she only wanted to keep busy. With Rick, where ever he was, she knew no one else would have anything for her to do. So she went back out to the porch and she waited.

Shane pulled up more than an hour later, the group seemingly pleased for the time being. Heather stayed on the steps as they moved closer to the rest of the group, watching how everyone gathered around as if they, for some reason, weren't thought to come back.

She watched as Carol gravitated towards Daryl yet he didn't seem to notice as he turned his head in Heather's direction and nodded again. Heather pressed down on her lips and exhaled.

After Shane told them the fences were cleared, Daryl made his way over to where Heather was sitting. He noticed she was deep in thought and as much as he wanted to question her on it, he remained silent, taking a seat next to her.

He found it strange that he could sit peacefully with her, with nothing said between the two of them, and not be annoyed by it. Her silence mirrored his and he could only find solace in it.

A few minutes after he had sat down, Daryl saw Rick walk through the woods. He spotted them and instantly went in their direction.

"Where we goin'?" Daryl asked him, squinting up at the sheriff as he stood in front of them.

"Another town. Opposite direction. I figure we'll drop him there with no supplies and give him a chance." Rick nodded as he looked around the farm.

He turned back to Daryl, "Thank you, for doing that thing last night."

Daryl shifted uncomfortably next to Heather and shook his head.

"Ain't no reason you should do all the heavy liftin'."

Rick wanted to say more but from the way Daryl was looking at him, he knew it wasn't necessary. He nodded again and looked at Heather.

"Everything go ok here?"

Heather nodded and smiled at him.

"You'd be surprised how well this group stays busy when you or Shane aren't around." she grinned at him and he couldn't help but smirk as well, shaking his head.

"I'm going to get something to eat, then we'll head out." he said to Daryl, turning back in his direction.

"You were right." Daryl said to Heather as Rick walked into the house.

Heather looked to him, narrowing her eyes.

"'Bout Shane." he nodded, "Found a group of walkers that broke through the fence. He kinda lost it. Kept beatin' this one even after it was long gone."

She messed with her hands in her lap, her eyes lifted back up to meet his.

"I don't think ya should be 'round 'im." Daryl shook his head, taking his eyes away from her.

Heather couldn't stop the sardonic smile, scratching at her jawline. She wondered if he had ever confessed he cared to Carol.

"Why do you think that?" she asked him quietly, trying to ignore the voice in her head that told her to get up and walk away from him.

"He's dangerous." he said simply.

"Don't worry about me." she told him, shaking her head as she stood up.

He was confused by the change in her demeanor in the amount of time he had been gone. He thought maybe someone had said something to upset her, but she didn't look upset. She looked nearly as confused as he felt and he knew it was because of him.

He felt an anger run through him, cursing to himself mentally that he should have never gotten close to her. He always seemed to ruin everything he touched.

She watched him walk past her, her words setting in. She knew he was looking out for her, as he always did, but after the realizations she had, she didn't know how much of his actions were genuine and how much of them were put to action by his own guilt. It felt like she was only trying to protect her so he didn't have to feel guilty about her getting hurt.

Heather sighed again. Rick walked out of the house, his mouth stuffed with a sandwich. He tried to smile but failed and she held back a quiet laugh. He was off to find Daryl. She followed after him, knowing he would have a few things to say to her before he left. He stopped T-Dog along the way and told him to round up the prisoner. She was patient as he checked his gun and put it inside it's holster.

"Just watch Shane." he told her, nodding.

It was an easy order, one she could follow through with and she nodded at him. Daryl had begun to walk to where they were when T-Dog could be heard yelling for Rick.

"He's gone!" he called out, pointing to the shed.

Rick took a last look at Heather before they both started running over to where he was standing. Daryl ran after them, wanting to know what all the commotion was about. T-Dog held up the cuffs that had held Randall in place. They were still locked.

"He must've slipped his hands out." T-Dog suggested, "The door was locked from the outside, too."

Heather shook her head, "That's impossible. Unless he knows how to dislocate his thumb."

"He did know your brother." Daryl said quietly, remembering how he had managed to slip out of the cuffs.

She could only nod at the response, fully aware he was right. Rick opened his mouth to say something, give them some sort of instructions, but there was another yell from behind him. They all turned around and saw Shane step out of the woods, his bloodied from an obvious broken nose.

"What happened?" Rick asked him, picking up the volume of his voice as Shane got closer to them.

Heather listened to him explain how Randall had escaped and he chased after him. Randall had knocked him against a tree and he was out for a bit, he didn't know how long. She watched him tell the story, his face betraying the emotion in his voice. He was lying. Daryl instinctively put himself in front of Heather, as a shield, without her knowing.

Rick turned and looked at them.

"Heather, T-Dog, get everyone in the house. Make sure no one wanders off." he instructed them before turning back to Shane.

"You go with me. Daryl, go get Glenn and you two search the west side of the woods. He can't be too far ahead of us."

Daryl nodded and turned around, touching Heather's arm lightly as they both walked back towards the house. Her and T-Dog got everyone inside while Daryl spotted Glenn and called him over.

"Get your gun. C'mon." Daryl told him, not having to explain the situation.

Once everyone was inside, Daryl turned to Heather and looked at her. He could see Carol and Lori looking through the curtains in the window, peeking outside though they weren't focused on the two of them. He reached behind him and pulled his hand gun out, handing it to Heather.

"Just take it." he said when she furrowed her eyebrows at it.

"Won't you need it?" she asked him, shaking her head.

"I got my bow and Glenn's got his. Now, take it and go inside."

She nodded, looking up at him. Whatever she had been thinking too hard about earlier, was gone from her mind and he could only see a slight fear in her eyes. He looked back to the window, making sure no one was looking at them, then he turned back to her. He lifted his hand quickly, brushing it against the side of her face. He leaned in closer to her.

Whatever had passed between them earlier had disappeared and she only feared for his safety, along with her own.

"I'll be back." he said, his voice hollow with the empty promise.

She only nodded again as he removed his hand. He stood straight and turned around, not wanting to see the look on her face as he left. It was enough for him to want to stay with her.

* * *

**So sorry for the delay! I moved into a new house that doesn't support internet so I've been going crazy without it.**

I mentioned awhile back that I wasn't planning on killing Shane off and here's my reason why. I think that he would not have gone crazy if he had been away from Rick and Lori, which is what I'm going to try and portray. Mind you, he will still be killed off, just not how he was in the show.

That being said, I am planning on doing one more chapter before season two is over, then I'm moving onto the winter and I'll tell the story with bits of the comic before I get into season three. So be prepared!


	36. Chapter 36

One hour passed.

Then two.

Heather stood by the window, her foot tapping impatiently against the ground as she looked outside, trying to see through the darkness. She found it was hard to convince herself she wasn't worried, though she wasn't certain which aspect worried her.

Shane's story kept running through her head, his lies. She didn't know what had really happened and what he made up. What she did know, was Randall was out there and if he got the jump on Shane, there was definitely a chance he could get back to his group. Which would be danger for the entire farm.

She breathed in heavily and turned away from the window.

Lori was looking at her from across the room, a tentative look on her face. She wanted to ask, but she already knew the answer. Heather shook her head slowly, ducking her head when the older woman frowned and nodded.

The door opened and Heather lifted her head up instantly, letting out a breath when Daryl looked her way. Lori was the first to speak, placing herself in front of Daryl to keep him from moving further into the room.

"Did you find him?" she asked him.

Daryl nodded, "Yeah."

Lori held her hands out and shrugged, waiting.

"And?" she continued.

Daryl shook his head and moved past her, his eyes meeting Heather's as he walked over to her.

"He turned." Glenn spoke up, getting Lori's attention again.

The others in the room seemed confused as Glenn and Daryl glanced at each other.

"Well, did you get the walker that bit him?" Hershel questioned, looking between the two men.

"His neck was snapped. Ain't no bites on him." Daryl shook his head, keeping his head down as the others stared at him in disbelief.

He was almost thankful for the gunshot that rang out mere seconds later, shaking everyone out of their denial. Without a thought, everyone made their way onto the front porch, staring into the darkness, trying to figure out where the shot had come from.

"It's too dark." Heather said quietly, squinting into the darkness.

Daryl narrowed his eyes, nodding, then he turned his head down at her. She had his gun in hand, her machete strapped to her waist. Ready for anything.

She walked past him and down the steps of the house. He almost followed her until he saw she was only going to the RV. She climbed on top and grabbed the binoculars, peering into the tree lines. She lowered the binoculars slowly and turned her head back to look at Daryl. Her eyes were narrowed in stark fear.

He moved off the porch and over to the RV, shouldering his bow.

"What is it?" he asked, tilting his head to look up.

"Walkers." she shook her head, her eyes wide.

She climbed off the RV and looked at him. There was conflict in her eyes as she realized the group was staring at her.

"How many?" T-Dog asked her, stepping forward.

"More than we can handle. They're coming right for us."

Daryl snatched the binoculars from her shaking hands and clumsily climbed up the ladder. His breathing nearly stopped when he saw she was right. Through the darkness, the wave of walkers looked like grass in the wind. It was eerie and he had to force himself to swallow.

He climbed back down and handed the binoculars back to her, nodding his head.

"What do we do?" Lori asked, looking at both Heather and Daryl.

"Gotta get outta here." Daryl told her, looking past her to where Hershel was already shaking his head.

"This is my farm. I'm not leaving." he stood defiantly on the porch.

"What if we just hid out in the house? Turned all the lights out." Andrea suggested, shrugging beside Hershel.

Daryl shook his head, bringing his thumb up to his mouth and he chewed on it.

"They'll knock the house over. We either gotta fight 'em, or we gotta leave." he told the group.

Then, one by one, the group began to side with Hershel. They couldn't leave. This was the safest place they had been able to find. Who was to say it wasn't the last safe place?

Daryl looked back to Heather, who was biting her bottom lip. Thinking. Planning. She scratched at her head and nodded, taking a step towards the house.

"Gather all of your ammo," she said to the group, "We'll take the cars. Spread them out, take down as many as we can."

Glenn and Maggie ran to Shane's car, T-Dog headed for the truck. Andrea hesitated by the RV before she followed after him, climbing into the passenger side.

Daryl stood in place as the group moved around him, gathering what they needed to ensure survival. Heather was talking to Carol in a hurried voice, telling her to pack whatever canned food she could find, just in case. She then turned to Patricia and Beth and told them to go inside and gather any weapons that were lying around. They had to be prepared.

Lori ran inside to get Carl and Hershel to get his shot gun. Heather finally turned and looked at Daryl. He noticed she looked nervous. He saw her breathe in deeply before she turned around and ran into the house. He followed after her, aware that this was the perfect time to keep his eye on her.

She was by the couch, throwing random items of hers into her bag. He figured it wouldn't hurt to grab some of his things so he picked up a few scattered things and shoved them into his own bag. After only a few seconds, they ran back outside together. He got on his bike, motioning with his head at her. She climbed on behind him, her hands holding onto the waist of his jeans as he started his bike and pulled away from the house.

The night was frighteningly calm, only a slight wind blowing through the trees could be heard until they got closer to the fence. An overwhelming echo of moans and growls were carried through, finally accompanied by the first ring of a gun.

They kept moving, the sound of his bike distracting small groups as he moved along the edge of the property. Every so often, he would pause in his movements and the two of them would take out as many as they could until the next group began to close in on them.

They continued this action for close to five minutes before he heard Heather cursing to herself. He turned his head as he held the gun in his hands.

"We're going to run out of ammo before we even make a dent. There's too many of them."

Daryl let his hands fall to his sides as he looked into the group of walkers. She was right. They would have to have an unlimited supply of ammo to get rid of all the walkers coming for them.

He turned back to her, intent on asking her what they should do. He was cut off by Lori's screaming by the front of the house. He couldn't understand what she was saying, all he could make out was _Rick, _and _Carl._

"Rick's in the barn!" Heather pointed towards the building that once held their prisoner.

Only seconds could have passed before the barn went up in flames. He heard Heather gasp quietly and without her having to say anything, they both sat back down and he pulled the bike to the front of the farm, where Lori was panicking.

"Jimmy!" Heather called, getting off the bike, "Can you drive the RV to the back of the barn? Rick set it on fire, he's going to need to get out of there. I'll go with you."

Jimmy nodded at her, taking a look at Hershel before he ran to the RV. Daryl got off his bike quickly, reaching out for Heather's arm before she could leave. He looked down at her, trying not to care that there were a few people looking at the two of them. He couldn't let her go.

"I'll be ok." she assured him quietly, nodding her head, "It's ok. Just...meet me at the highway. Rick mentioned a traffic snarl where you lost the little girl? Meet me there."

Daryl began to protest instantly, not wanting to even think about her not going with him. But she smiled at him, pulling her arm from his grasp. It was all he needed, though he still didn't want it to happen.

"Here," she told him, sliding her back pack off and handing it to him. He took it from her, confused. "This has my shit in it, so you know I'll be coming back for it."

She hesitated before she quickly leaned forward and kissed his cheek, masking the act as an awkward, lopsided hug.

"Now go. Get everyone else to the highway."

She turned around then, not taking another look at him as she climbed onto the top of the RV. She would've seen the way he still held his arm out, as if he were trying to reach for her.

She kicked it once and braced herself as Jimmy drove towards the barn. She heard shots behind her and it became obvious the walkers had made it to the farm. There was a panic in her veins as she looked around at the walkers that seemed to be surrounding the RV. The farm was lost.

Heather saw Rick standing on the ledge at the back of the barn, Carl standing next to him. Jimmy pulled up underneath it, almost knocking Heather off the roof in the process. Rick jumped on first, reaching out to cup the side of Heather's neck as he nodded at her. Carl jumped down after and one at a time, they climbed down the ladder. Rick only looked back for a moment, long enough to see Jimmy's blood being thrown around the empty RV.

Walkers grabbed for them as they ran, their guns held close as they weaved between them. Rick held onto Carl's arm and as they got closer to the farm, he realized the extent of what was happening.

"We need to get out of here." Rick said to them, pushing Carl in front of him as he extended his arm and shot a walker.

Heather agreed, nodding her head. She followed behind him, looking everywhere around her. She heard a scream and stopped, angling herself in the direction. It was distant, but she knew who it was. Rick looked back at her, shaking his head.

"We have to go." he told her, knowing what she intended to do.

"You go get Hershel, I'll catch up with you." she said, her voice shaking.

He didn't want to leave her, but he could see the walkers now growing in numbers as they began to circle the farm. She knew what she was doing.

"You better hurry." he ordered, touching her shoulder before they turned away from each other, "And be careful!" he yelled out before grabbing Carl's arm.

Heather ran in the direction of the scream, her gun drawn as she ran around the farm. She saw Carol being chased, holding onto a piece of wood. She followed after her, speeding up as she got closer to the walkers. She called out Carol's name and fired off two rounds, dropping the ones that had been chasing her.

"C'mon!" she called.

The woman followed after her unaware of where they were headed. She didn't even realize what direction she had been running in until Heather stopped her. She stayed close to her as she shot walkers that were in their way. It seemed like the more they ran, the more the walkers spread out but after a few minutes, they became tight knit and it became harder to weave through them. One walker dove straight for Carol and Heather had to use all her strength to push it out of the way.

Heather tried to catch her breath but as she breathed in, Carol screamed and she flipped around, not having enough time to shot the walker that was trying to bite her. Heather stumbled backwards, her foot catching against a fallen walker as the one fell right on top of her. She heard a loud POP and she couldn't stop the scream of pain that passed her lips. She managed to bring her gun up and shoot the walker before more saw her on the ground. It was a challenge getting up but once she did, she pulled the machete off her waist and tried to step down on her foot. In the fall, she had either broken her ankle or dislocated it and when she looked around at the walkers closing in on her, she saw that Carol was no where to be seen. The walkers had closed in on the space where she had been standing, making it impossible to go in that direction anymore.

Heather cursed and swung her machete at a walker that reached out for her, then she pushed off her foot and drug herself into the woods as quickly as was possible. She could hear Daryl's motorcycle in the distance, the deep growling the only welcome noise for her. He was close. The crowd of walkers surrounding the farm was too thick, but she figured if she ran through the woods, it would be easier for her to get to the road.

She half ran, half dragged herself, ducking to avoid contact from any walkers in the area. She heard the growls and groans of the monsters following after her. Heather finally turned around and swung her machete, landing it on the side of a walker's head who had gotten too close. She yanked her arm back, crying out in frustration as the walker fell forward and knocked her over. She sat up, breathing heavily as tears threatened to spill over, then she noticed something missing.

She could no longer hear the sound of Daryl's motorcycle.

"Fuck." she kicked at the ground with her good foot and looked around her.

The walkers were closing in again. She nodded to herself and tried to gather her wits. She heard a movement behind her and before she could turn, something grabbed her. She fought back instantly, thinking a walker had gotten her, but stopped when she heard a familiar voice.

"Ain't got time to take a nap, sweetheart. We gotta go."

Shane pulled her up, having seen her hurt her ankle, he wrapped one of her arms around his shoulders and began pulling her. She ran with him, the pressure from her ankle not so intense as he kept a grip on her. They ran through the woods for a few minutes, trying to make their way around the farm so they could get to a car. The group had become too thick, Heather and Shane not able to break through to get to the front of the farm. It felt like they were running in circles.

It was tiring and Heather's leg had almost completely locked up, making the strain on her other leg too intense. They were both gasping for air, their lungs burning from not being able to stop, but still they kept going. It wasn't hard to forget that walkers didn't get short of breath.

"Do you know where we are?" she asked him as they came across a small creek.

Shane frowned deeply as he shook his head. For how long they had been running, they could be miles away from the farm. He pulled on her arm, looking behind her to see that the walkers were still coming. He stepped across the creek first, knowing she would have trouble taking the step. Without much trouble, she made it across and they began running again. He figured if he could put enough distance between them and the walkers, they would have a better chance at hiding in place.

He kept looking behind him and when he decided it as time, that they were far enough ahead of the walkers, he pulled her over to the bottom of a tree.

"Climb." he ordered her, pushing her forward.

Heather nodded and reached forward, using one arm to pull herself up onto a branch while the other held onto her machete. Her gun-_Daryl's gun-_ had been tucked away in the waistband of her jeans. Shane climbed up after her and she saw that he had his own gun as well. He climbed onto the branch behind her and held onto her shoulder, noticing how she seemed to have trouble keeping her balance.

They watched the walkers run below them, trying not to make a noise. The sun was beginning to rise but the coolness of the night never left. In fact, it had only gotten colder. Heather pulled her jacket tighter around her and breathed in.

They would be waiting at the highway.

Daryl would be waiting for her.

* * *

**Good news! On Wednesday I will be getting internet installed in my house so I will be able to update this even more!**

**And now, season two is now done! I have been working on a multi-chapter additional installment to this story that includes random little stories. There's a few from Heather and Rick travelling together, some of her and Daryl hunting, and eventually there will be more added to the winter storyline. If you have any suggestions or thoughts, please send them my way**!


	37. Chapter 37

The scream kept replaying in Daryl's head. He heard it then seconds later, he saw Carol running for her life. It wasn't her scream, he knew that, he just didn't want to admit he knew who it belonged to. It made it even harder for him to drive away.

He had to keep reminding himself that he was no good to anyone dead.

Carol held onto him tightly as he maneuvered by walkers with their arms stretched out for them. The sun was just beginning to rise and through the slight darkness, he could see each one as they passed, their skin hanging off in tattered pieces.

After a few minutes, he saw Shane's car in front of them, swerving faintly as it continued down the highway. Daryl sped up and pulled up next to it, getting the attention of Glenn and Maggie inside, who both looked like their obvious panicking had completely wiped them out.

Daryl tried to ignore the fact that Heather wasn't with them, something that was beginning to grate on his mind as he kept driving. He knew he wasn't supposed to wait for her but leaving without her didn't put him at ease and he couldn't stop his hands from clamming up as they continued to the highway.

Once they were close to the highway, Daryl noticed the truck T-Dog had been driving was now following behind Glenn and Maggie, though he couldn't see who was inside. He kept his eyes ahead, only trying to see what was coming.

Rick had been the first one to the highway, accompanied by Hershel and Carl. Daryl had no doubt that Rick would make it though he did feel some relief upon seeing him. He pulled up onto the road, grasping hands with the sheriff as he nodded.

One by one everyone got out of the vehicles and one by one he Daryl felt his stomach drop further into his body.

"Who didn't make it?" Rick questioned the group as he looked around.

"Patricia." Beth spoke up, her frail voice cracking with the memory as she leaned into Hershel.

Daryl winced and looked down to the ground, shaking his head.

"I saw Andrea go down." Carol said quietly from beside him.

"What about Shane?" Lori asked, her question directed to Rick, who simply shrugged at her.

Daryl's face felt hot as he stared at his feet, trying to listen to what everyone was saying. He heard someone, probably Beth, mention Jimmy and when Rick shook his head and said he was inside the RV, Daryl jerked his head up.

"Heather." he gritted, remembering how she had gone with Jimmy to get Rick.

Rick narrowed his eyes, as if he forgot about her, and shook his head. Daryl swallowed roughly, not fully understanding the action.

"She took off after Carol." he said, looking to the woman who was now looking at the ground, avoiding everyone's stares.

"Well?" Daryl growled at her, his anger evident in his tone.

"A walker got her. i saw it fall on her." she told them quietly, lifting her head to look at the hunter.

"Was she bit?" he questioned, trying to keep his voice steady.

Carol could only look at him, her lips pressed together tightly. His anger took a turn he never experienced before and before he could have an outburst, he started his bike. Rick instantly went over to him, shaking his head.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"Goin' back for her." Daryl breathed, "Woman didn't even see her get bit."

"We can't go back there," Rick explained, "It's not safe. If she's still alive, she wouldn't stay on the farm, you know that."

Daryl hesitated before he took in a deep breath, aware that Rick was right.

"What about Andrea?" T-Dog wanted to know, stepping closer to where the two men were standing.

"And Shane." Carl added.

"They know where we're supposed to meet." Rick stated, keeping out the small fact that _Shane_ had no idea where they were supposed to meet.

The group was silent for a moment before Lori lifted her head and looked at Rick, her eyebrows knitted together in concern.

"Does Heather even know where she's going? Has she even been here?" she asked, leaving anyone to answer.

"She knows it's at the highway and she always has her maps." Rick concluded, nodding his head.

Daryl felt his stomach drop again as his hand instinctively moved back to her bag, which contained all of her personal things. He grabbed it and pulled it to his lap, meeting Rick's eyes who immediately understood.

"We'll wait for a bit, give them time to get here. But we can't stay here for long. It's too close to the farm and there's a chance more could always come through."

Daryl wanted to scream. He wanted to punch something, anything. But he stood still, carefully watching how everyone in the group moved around him, knowing his temper was peaking. They wouldn't say anything to him, none of them would, but he could feel them waiting for him to snap. He discovered that while he did want to blow up, he knew keeping a straight head would make it easier to plan around what happened.

No one knew what Heather was to Daryl and no one wanted to question him on the matter. They could all tell he was bothered by her missing presence from the way he excluded himself from the group, moreso than he normally did. He didn't hear what was being said between the people but he knew from their quiet chatter that it had to do with him. They all avoided him. Even Carol, who seemed so set on explaining herself to him. He didn't want to hear it.

An hour went by before Rick decided it was time to move on. More walkers had been spotted down the length of the highway and while they were spread out, they would be dangerous to have wedged in-between the cars with no where to turn.

Rick waited for Daryl's reaction when he announced they had to get going. There was none, but as everyone got into their cars, Daryl stayed put, staring stubbornly to the ground. Rick walked over to him and breathed in, resting his hands on his hips.

"Daryl…we have to go now." Rick spoke quietly, realizing the man was shaking with anger.

He nodded slowly, lifting his head as he scowled.

"I ain't goin' unless we leave somethin' here for her - them." Daryl shook his head this time, looking up at Rick.

"What did you have in mind? We don't exactly have a lot we can leave behind." Rick told him.

"We can leave a map that shows which was we're goin'." Daryl suggested, trying not to make it sound like he had been thinking about the plan the entire time they waited.

Rick only nodded.

"She has quite a few maps. We can leave one every time we stop somewhere." Rick added, shrugging his shoulders.

Daryl was relieved though he knew he wouldn't be told no. He opened Heather's bag and pulled out one of her smaller maps, looking over the marks she had left when she was on her own. He found where they were on the map, keeping his finger on their location as he reached into her bag to find something to write with. She had used a red marker for most of her markings so he grabbed a black pen.

"We'll head north for now." Rick said as Daryl put the pen to the paper, "As far as we can. We should find a place for the night."

Daryl nodded and drew an arrow on the map, making sure she would be able to see that it was different from her markings. As an extra precaution, he wrote his name next to the arrow, so she would know he had left it for her.

As soon as he had set the map on a car and weighed it down, he realized he didn't want to go. He felt like he was abandoning her despite the map. It wasn't an easy thing for him to get on his bike and pull away with the rest of the group, but he didn't look back.

TWDTWDTWDTWD

Heather hadn't realized she was dozing until she felt Shane tap on her shoulder. She turned back and saw he was pointing to the ground below them. It had been awhile since a walker had passed through the area and he figured it was safe enough for them to climb down.

Neither one of them was sure how long they had run or even how long they had sat up in the tree but they both felt shaky when they hit the ground. Heather's ankle was swollen and bruised, making it hard for her to move at all.

"How's it feel?" Shane asked as he moved his arm around her.

She shrugged, then winced as they took a step forward. She didn't want to tell him that even the slightest pressure was excruciating. It would only slow him down.

"I think I just rolled my ankle." she muttered, holding her machete weakly in her hands.

"I bet…Hershel will have to set it again if we run into them." Shane said quietly, tempted to just pick her up.

"When." she spoke up.

Shane craned his head and looked at her, his eyes narrowed as he tried to understand what she meant.

"You said 'if', I was just correcting you." she explained to him, noticing his bemused expression.

He turned his head back to the ground of the woods and shook his head. They were both tired, exhausted and fighting was the last thing either of them needed.

"Hate to break it to you, but _when_ we find them, Rick ain't gonna let me come back." Shane told her after they walked in silence for a few minutes.

She had wanted to ask him why Rick was with Carl and not him, or why they had heard a gunshot, but between running for her life and nearly making herself walker bait, she had found the time.

"What happened out there?" she questioned.

The truth was something he needed to say though he hated being the bad guy. When Rick had first come back to the group, Shane felt guilty for the times he would pick fights with him, but now…now that seemed to be the only time the two of them talked. Shane could've cared less.

"We got into an argument. I shot at him." Shane's voice was low and Heather had to look up at him to see if he had really said it out loud.

She felt a pang of anger seize in her gut when she saw he was telling the truth. He had gone out there with the intention of killing Rick.

"Don't look too upset. The bastard got me before we noticed walkers chasing us. Carl must've been following us."

"What do you mean he got you?" she asked him, pulling her hand away from his shoulder.

The sun was still attempting the shine through the clouds but through the dusk, she could see Shane's coat was covered in blood and his undershirt was cut open near his abdomen.

"Like I said, bastard got me." he smiled at her, a strange, sad smile.

Heather could only breathe in heavily, her anger not nearly the size of her pain as she rested her weight on her uninjured leg. She knew she was bad luck, but it began to feel like someone was messing with her. Not only had she most likely broken her ankle, now she was stuck with the man that tried to kill one of the only people she had ever cared about.

"Do we even know where we're going?" she finally questioned, trying to push past the overwhelming desire to hit him.

He let out the breath he had been holding and shrugged to her. He had no idea where they even were or how long it would take them to get back to the farm.

"Alright," she bit down on her lip, "we'll follow our tracks back to the farm then make our way to the highway then."

"What if it's still swarmed with walkers?"

"We'll have to try to find a way around the farm, I'm assuming most of them will be long gone by now since no one was left there." she told him, leaning against the handle of her machete.

Daryl's gun was still tucked in the waist of her jeans, empty, but she saw no reason to abandon the weapon. Shane held his arm out then held onto her as they continued their trek back to the farm.

TWDTWDTWDTWD

Daryl stared into the fire, his mind racing as Rick spoke to the group. There was desperation in his voice as he tried to give them hope, tried to give them a reason to keep going. They spent the entire day driving, keeping their eyes open for places where they could rest for the night. Cars began running out of gas and the only place they could find was an empty rock formation.

Rick kept talking about hope but Daryl didn't feel like there was any left.

He stood from his spot once Rick moved away from the rocks and headed for his bike. He couldn't be around them anymore, especially Carol. That woman had leeched herself onto him ever since they had stopped and even though he didn't respond to her in anyway, she still needed to be by his side.

Once he made sure she hadn't followed him, he reached into his bike's side satchel and grabbed Heather's backpack. He opened it, knowing exactly what he was looking for. At the bottom of her bag, he touched her brother's wallet and pulled it out, hesitating before he flipped it open and found the picture he was looking for.

She was younger then, but he could still see her in the way she smiled. He slid the picture out of the plastic casing and held it in his hands.

The only hope Daryl had even known was left back at the farm.

He didn't even know if she was still alive.

TWDTWDTWDTWD

The darkness surrounded them, bits of the moons iridescence shone through the high branches of the trees. Heather wrapped her arms around Shane's shoulders tighter, the crackling of branches echoing through the woods.

Heather couldn't make it very far on her own and after nearly an hour and not making any progress, Shane ended up giving her a piggy back, which continued through the rest of the day. They had run into a few walkers which they took turns taking out.

They were hungry. Thirsty. Exhausted. Heather could feel the energy being sapped from her every time she swung her blade. Even the cold couldn't keep her energized. It only made her feel more miserable. Shane's own injury seemed to be taking it's toll on his body as they kept going. He was pale and she could tell he had lost a lot of blood though he wouldn't let her see how bad it was, if at all.

It worried her.

She thought they would have made it to the farm before night fell, they could've rested for the night then gone to the highway when the sun rose again. She wasn't looking forward to sleeping in a tree for another night.

She was becoming more discouraged as the night grew darker and colder and they were still not within sight of the farm. She wanted to believe that Daryl would still be there, waiting for her, but after how long it had been, she knew that the chances were slim. It weighed on her but she kept going.

She would find him.

* * *

**Within the next couple of chapters I have a lot of stuff happening. Not to give too much away, but they will not be separated for long. I promise. Some big things with Shane and Carol are coming up so be prepared for the next update.**

**Thank you everyone who's been reading and reviewing! You guys are awesome!**


	38. Chapter 38

Heather stood by the edge of the tree line, resting her weight on the makeshift crutch Shane had fashioned out of a large branch. She hadn't seen any movement around them for a few hours, making it easy to slip through the woods quietly. They had spent another day trekking through the woods, still no idea of where they were going.

It was morning now and while she made sure the trail to the road was clear from walkers, Shane stayed behind, taking a break by a tree. His injury had resulted in the loss of so much blood, he had begun blacking out randomly as they walked. Even with no food between the two of them for nearly two days, Heather was more focused on getting him somewhere where she could at least clean up his wound than she was to find any food.

She wouldn't be able to do anything without his help.

Once she decided it was safe enough for them to move, she turned around and slowly stumbled back to where she had left him. She had become used to the pain that was constant in her ankle but it resulted in her having to drag herself to keep pressure off.

"Shane," she spoke to him as he came into view, "C'mon. Let's go."

He leaned his head back against the tree and she could see his lips had even started to pale despite the cold that turned her own a light blue.

"Might as well just leave me." he muttered, shaking his head.

Heather sighed to herself, using her good leg to nudge at him. She couldn't offer him any hope but she knew he didn't really want to be left behind. They had both run out of bullets and he certainly wouldn't want to get attacked by a walker just to come back as one.

"Not going to leave you. Get up and quit crying." she told him, reaching her hand down in his direction.

He brushed it away and took in a deep breath before he pushed himself forward and rose to his feet. He looked unsteady but wouldn't accept her help as he took a step. He was losing his steam and Heather knew it was only a matter of time before he wouldn't be able to go any longer.

They needed to either find the farm or somewhere else where they could hide out for the night.

"Let's get goin' then." he sighed, pushing past her.

Heather watched him stagger a few steps until he gathered himself and could stand up straight. She followed after him, keeping her hand on her strapped machete.

"We'll follow the road until it starts to get dark." Heather said, watching how Shane hesitated before he turned around to face her.

"Sounds easy enough." he smiled at her, lopsided, his eyelids looked heavy.

She caught up with him and together they kept a steady pace as they struggled to walk towards their unknown destination.

TWDTWDTWDTWD

"You think it'll do for now?"

Daryl shrugged his shoulders, looking to the fractured building that lay in front of them. Rick turned to him.

"You and I will go in and make sure it's clear. T and Glenn will be our backups." he told them, motioning to the other two men.

"Yell and we're there." T-Dog nodded, clutching a knife in his hands.

Daryl looked back to the building, what would have been a trashy hotel had the world not gone to shit. It was small, maybe no more than 15 rooms, which was why it had caught Rick's attention. If they could clear it out and make it safe, they would have shelter for the coming winter months.

"You ready?" Rick asked him, nodding at him.

Daryl hesitated before he nodded as well, grabbing his bow and following Rick to the entrance of the building. He stayed behind the sheriff, crouching low through the dimly lit lobby area. It looked to be long abandoned, chairs were flipped over and paper had been thrown around.

"On your left." Daryl spoke under his breath, catching sight of a stationary walker.

It was wearing a uniform and Daryl figured he had been an employee at the establishment. He had only taken a step before Rick's blade made it's home between the poor sap's eyes.

They went through the rooms, one by one, relieved that there hadn't been many residents left in their rooms. Despite the lack of visitors, Daryl and Rick felt drained by the time they made their way back out front.

"How'd it look in there?" Lori asked the two men when they stepped outside.

"Alright." Rick told her, nodding, "We'll drag the bodies out back and burn them then try to figure out a way to secure at least one room for the night until we can get everything else situated."

"We're running low on food, Rick." Lori turned her attention to him, putting herself between him and Daryl.

Daryl sighed heavily and walked around them, knowing they were going to get into one of their spats again. It seemed to happen every time they stopped somewhere. Rick had told them about Shane trying to shoot him and how he took care of it his own way. Lori hadn't been too happy ever since then.

He stood by his bike, his hand absently brushing over Heather's backpack, which now was empty besides the wallet and her pens. The food had been eaten, the few weapons distributed amongst the group, and the last map had been left a few miles down the road.

It had been two days, almost three, and every ounce of hope he had was completely wiped away. He kept her picture in the pocket of his vest, a reminder of his most recent failure. He hadn't expected such an impact from her but her absence made his chest feel like it was caving in.

"Did it seem safe in there?"

Daryl turned and saw Carol standing next to him. She wasn't looking at him, but he could tell she wanted to from the way her hands twitched nervously at her sides.

"Better than out here." he mumbled deeply, looking away from her.

He saw her pause before she turned to him.

"I know you're upset with me but I need you to know that I'm sorry about... Heather. I know she was important to you and I didn't mean to leave her behind."

Daryl gritted his teeth, his hand gripping the fabric of the bag.

"Don't apologize to me," he shook his head, his voice velvet over steel, "because of you, she's dead. She went back to help you and you left her there."

He stopped, seeing the hurt on Carol's face, the tears welling up in her eyes. He didn't care about her feelings but he knew if he kept going, his anger would spiral. His chest was rising and falling quickly, the realization of his words finally sinking in.

She was most likely dead. To think otherwise would be foolish.

"Get away from me." he spoke clearly this time, making sure his words hit her hard.

He didn't look away from her until after she had turned around and when he finally did turn his head, it was only to hide the sudden redness of his eyes.

TWDTWDTWDTWD

They stood quietly by the road turning into the small town. The town she had lived in, the town they found Randall and her brother. It was a small relief, to at least know where they were finally.

"Town's been picked clean of all the food but maybe we can find something to clean this up." Heather started, not having to point to Shane's side for him to know what she was talking about.

"We should try to find a brace too, for your ankle." he suggested, weariness masking any bit of energy he had left.

He was beginning to worry her, the way he would snap in and out of delirium as they walked, fragmented speech slurred in the space between them. She kept her mouth shut, not wanting to make him paranoid, though she always left an eye trained on him, her hand never leaving sight of her machete. She didn't know how much longer he could go on.

They made their way into the building closest to the road, never knowing when they would need to bolt. The room they entered looked like it had once been a small office, maybe the only lawyer in town. Heather led Shane over to the furthest corner, letting him sink down to the ground as she looked around.

The only window in the room wasn't boarded up like many of the others in town, but from where they were situated, she was able to see out onto the street, able to see if trouble was coming. Near the west side of the office there was a door that led to a tiny bathroom. Heather dragged herself over to the door, first peeking inside before she opened it completely. There was a sink but as she fiddled with the handles, she realized no water would come out. She sighed and looked to her right, squinting into the toilet. The water had been sitting for quite some time, months now, but she decided it was better than nothing.

She grabbed the roll of toilet paper that was tossed to the ground and dipped it into the water, then turned back to where Shane was leaned against the wall. His breathing was steady as she clumsily sat in front of him, his eyes parted slightly.

"You shoulda just left me back there." he told her, shaking his head.

He was trembling, his body likely going into shock from the pain. He was good at hiding it but Heather could see it breaking through his armor.

"You didn't leave me." she replied, watching his lips crack into a small smile before he winced and closed his eyes.

"Still…you could've found them by now if we didn't stop here." he argued quietly, "I'm just slowing you down."

"You must not have seen my ankle." Heather quieted him, "let me see."

Shane hesitated, shaking his head again slightly before he moved his shrugged off his coat and lifted the hem of his shirt. The wound where Rick's blade went in was still bleeding though it had slowed down considerably, probably from the cold. The edge of the cut was clearly infected and Heather felt herself wince as she pressed the wet paper to his skin. She wouldn't be able to do much but it was one less thing she had to worry about.

"I'm not gonna make it much longer." he said lightly, his voice just under a whisper.

She wanted to disagree but knew there was no point. He was right.

"When you find them, can you tell them I'm sorry? Lori, Carl…I didn't mean to get out of control." his voice was shaking, "Tell Rick, too. Especially Rick. I didn't want it to be like this."

Heather watched his face, the fear in his eyes. She didn't know what to say to him to comfort him, if that was even possible.

"Never thought I'd try to kill my best friend." he was muttering to himself now, the delirium taking over again.

Heather pulled the toilet paper away and frowned, not paying attention to what he was saying. He began rambling, not caring if she was even listening. She backed away from him slowly, biting down on her bottom lip.

She didn't know what to do next. She knew she was able to get to the highway on her own, but if the group wasn't there, she wouldn't be able to go much further. Her ankle impeded any progress she could make.

Shane continued rambling into the dark of the night, stopping only when he passed out. Heather stayed by the wall furthest away from him, machete held tight in her hands. Even after not sleeping for so long, she couldn't find the calm to attempt it in the small room.

She was planning.

* * *

**A bit shorter than normal but I figured I'd post this now and have the next chapter up in a couple days. So I'm sending Shane and Carol in a direction that sets them up for failure, for those of you that wondered. I'm sure you can figure out what's going to happen to Shane but as for Carol, I'm leaving it up in the air with no hints. If you have any suggestions for what I could do, please let me know! I love hearing what you guys have to say.**

**As for the rest of the group, it won't be too much longer before Heather meets up with the gang and then we'll get into her becoming a real member of the group. She'll be included in the many, many things and she'll have serious conversations with the other members. I plan on making this a very long story so there's plenty of time to get to know everybody properly.**

**One thing I do need help with is Lori's death. Everyone knows how she dies in the TV show, which is pretty different from how she dies in the comics. I wanted to do something more similar to the TV show but I don't want to over-do it, so again, if you guys have any thoughts on the matter, just let me know!**

**Hope you enjoyed!**


	39. Chapter 39

Five days had passed.

The group noticed a definite change in Daryl's behavior. The last few months had been a welcome change for them, not having Daryl's anger and bad attitude appear every time someone tried talking to him, but now some of his old actions had resurfaced. For the most part he was quiet, but when someone questioned him for too long, he would snap at them and then continue being quiet.

It made them uneasy but Rick jumped on the problem immediately and told the group to steer clear of him for awhile. It helped, but not for too long.

Carol still lingered around him, careful not to say anything that would upset him. He never spoke to her, never told her to get lost. He just kept quiet, the scowl on his face not enough for her to leave his side. He often found that Lori, also, seemed to be around him a lot, though she never said much and he never had a reason to snap at her. She would speak to him about the upcoming winter and how they would need wood for fire, then she would touch his arm lightly, giving a gentle squeeze before leaving him.

Maggie and Glenn kept their distance from him but Maggie, having gotten close to Heather, knew she was the reason Daryl had become a complete recluse. She could see it in the way he kept her backpack on his bike, the way he ran his fingers over the pocket of his shirt that contained a picture she often caught him looking at.

It was obvious he was hurting but no one knew how to approach him, so they didn't mention the problem and they sure as hell didn't try to console him.

When the fifth day had passed, Rick decided it was time for someone to make a run. They were running dangerously low on food, already having raided the few vending machines that were in the building.

The group met in the lobby on the beginning of the sixth day, they weren't quite comfortable enough to have their own rooms but between the ten of them, they occupied two rooms. The temperature had dropped, which was the main reason Rick wanted to send some people out. He could tell it was going to snow.

"There's a small town up ahead a few miles," he started, watching how their faces fell with the news of the task, "I'm going to send out two groups. I'll go with one of them and we'll gather what we can. Don't mess around, grab what we need and get out. We don't have much gas and we're running out of ammo. Only use what you have to.

"T-Dog and I will take the truck and head down the road, to that town we passed on the way here. It looked pretty small, but we'll see what we can find there."

"Daryl," he turned to the younger man, waiting for his face to react, and when he didn't, he continued, "I want you to stay here, make sure everything runs smoothly while I'm gone."

Daryl flinched at the burden of responsibility and looked to the ground. He wanted to get away from the building, the poor excuse for a hotel, but he also didn't want to move. He had built his walls higher than they had been before and he only wanted to hide behind them.

"Glenn and Maggie, you two go up to the other town. In and out." Rick repeated, nodding his head at the two.

"Are you sure this is a good idea, Rick?" Lori asked him, the only person who bothered to speak up.

Rick turned to her and bit his tongue, shaking his head.

"You're the one who said we needed to be more prepared…that's what I'm trying to do." he gritted.

Tension filled the air, as it always seemed to when the two were in the room together, and everyone instantly began clearing out. T-Dog grabbed his axe and headed to the truck, while Rick spoke quietly to Carl.

Daryl stood by the front door, holding his crossbow tightly as he watched Maggie and Glenn get into their car. No one said anything to the leaving members, though Hershel and Beth stared intently at the car the two younger ones had gotten into.

Rick finished talking to Carl, who held his own gun in his hands, and made his way over to Daryl. They stood side by side for a moment, watching the group solemnly eye each other.

"We'll be back in a couple hours," Rick told him, "Keep an eye on everything."

Daryl didn't say anything, only nodded. Rick wanted to say more to him but from the way Daryl seemed to tune out everything, he couldn't think of anything to say. Rick reached up and patted the back of Daryl's shoulder lightly before he stepped past him and got into the truck. It was a small gesture but Daryl felt the permanent lump in his throat tighten as he breathed in heavily.

TWDTWDTWDTWD

Heather sat down on the concrete, stretching her leg out in front of her. She was cold, her jacket barely thick enough to block out the fierce wind. Not to mention that lack of food that was beginning to slow her down.

Shane was a few feet behind her, leaning against a car. They had gotten to the highway and as she had suspected, the group had long gone. She was surprised to find one of her maps with directions from Daryl though she tried not to get her hopes up. She had no idea when they had even left the map. It had been almost a week since the farm.

They found a few cans of food in an abandoned gas station just miles down from the original meeting spot. They lasted about two days between them and with only one bottle of water to split, they were both running on fumes.

"Shane," she called to him, her voice weakly carried by the wind, "C'mon. We gotta get going."

She turned to him, waiting for a response. He sat still against the car, his features stark white. She called his name again, louder this time and when he still didn't answer, she felt her heart pick up speed.

She pushed herself up, wincing as she held onto the car beside her as support. She breathed in and slowly limped over to where Shane was. His hands were resting on his leg but she saw his fingers move. She kneeled down next to him.

"Take my necklace." he said quietly, his eyelids drooping as he looked up at her, "take my coat."

Heather shook her head, confused.

"Give it to Lori." he shakily reached up to the chain around his neck, tugging on it. It broke off and he handed it to her, forcing it into her hands.

"I can't." Heather shook her head again, "I can't do that."

"Please, you don't have to say anything. Just give it to her." she heard the plea in his voice and without thinking, she nodded and slid the necklace into the pocket of her pants.

He thanked her quietly, his voice losing itself as he closed his eyes. She looked at him and felt a small ounce of panic creep into her bones.

Ever since the world had ended, she was always searching for someone. First, it had been her brother, then Rick, now it was Daryl. The whole time, she had been alone. She never thought about it, always keeping her main objective the center of attention, but now, when she was so close to succumbing to the pressures of the new world, she feared being alone. Shane hadn't lied when he said he would have her back. Even now, as he lay dying, he still kept his promise. He had taken his coat off and held it up in her direction.

She took it from him and slid it on just as the fear began to take over. He handed her his knife and when he was completely unarmed, he simply smiled. She knew when he died, she would be alone again. The thought made her eyes burn with tears.

She had never seen a person die peacefully since the end of the world, had never seen anyone die before the end of the world, but Shane Walsh succeeded in making it look easy. His eyes were cracked, staring ahead at something that wasn't there. She only knew he was gone when the slight grip he had on her hand disappeared and she was left clutching at a lifeless limb.

She hadn't meant to cry but once the first few tears fell from frustration, she couldn't seem to stop. She moved away from Shane's body, scooting along the cars as a balance from falling. Her head felt fuzzy and her stomach growled.

Shane's coat warmed her up but her exhaustion started taking it's toll and she started seeing black spots. She leaned against a car, trying to clear her vision, and sucked in a deep breath. As weak as she was, she knew she couldn't stay on the road for too long. Her and Shane had been able to take care of walkers as a team but she would never be able to by herself.

She pushed forward, resting her weight against the cars as she limped a little at a time. Her vision flickered again and she stopped, taking in another breath. She was about to move again when she heard a noise behind her. It was slow, like a dragging sound. She turned around slowly, squinting at the figure that headed her way.

"Shane?" she questioned, shaking her head.

She stepped backwards and faltered, her head spinning. She began seeing black and before she could catch herself, she fell onto her back. She tried pulling herself forward, recognizing the awkward stumble Shane inherited when he died.

Tire sounds caught her attention briefly before she slipped unconscious. A gunshot snapped her back into reality and when she opened her eyes, she saw T-Dog looking down at her.

She had to be dead.

His mouth was moving but she couldn't hear anything. Her ears were ringing and she faded out again. She felt herself being lifted, the jostling evident that whoever was carrying her was running. She could hear bits of what he was saying and she was instantly comforted by the familiarity of the accent.

She looked up at Rick, trying to make out what he was saying. Trying to understand what was going on. He was touching her face, attempting to keep her awake. She leaned against him and blacked out again.

TWDTWDTWDTWD

Daryl was standing by the door of the hotel when he saw the truck speeding down the road. He stood up straight and held his crossbow, thinking that only a man in trouble would drive like that. The truck pulled up and T-Dog got out.

"Get Hershel now!" he called out to him.

"What's goin' on?" Daryl asked, watching how he ran to the other side of the truck.

He didn't even need to get the vet, the commotion from the truck and T-Dog's yelling had gotten the attention of the rest of the group and now they were all heading outside. The door of the truck opened and Rick stepped out, pulling Heather's body with him.

Daryl's knees nearly gave out as he turned around and looked to Lori, who was standing in the doorway.

"Get Hershel!" he yelled to her, the urgency in his voice deepening his southern drawl.

Lori turned and ran into the building, her yells for the older man echoing through the rooms. Daryl watched Rick run in after her, carrying the limp body.

Daryl stopped by the doorway, his heart racing as he tried to calm his breathing. When he looked inside, T-Dog was looking at him.

"You comin' or not?" he asked him, "One of us has to stay out here to keep watch."

Daryl hesitated again before he ran inside, not bothering to thank the other man for his understanding. He was reminded of the incident where she got shot the second he looked into the room, though this time it was obvious it was worse.

Hershel looked her over, listing off her injuries to Lori, who moved around him. She had a broken ankle that they would have to break and reset, she was extremely malnourished and dehydrated, not to mention the cut on her neck had gotten mildly infected and she was exhausted. Daryl felt sick looking down at her.

"We might as well fix her ankle while she's out." Hershel suggested, "We'll need to hold her down though, there's a chance she'll wake up while we're breaking it again."

Daryl moved forward, setting his bow on the ground. Hershel instructed him to crawl behind her and hold onto her arms. She wouldn't be very happy when she woke up. Rick sat on her leg and held her other leg down while Hershel moved to her broken ankle.

Daryl held onto her tightly, keeping one of his hands on her chin, aware that she could start screaming. Hershel counted to three before he grabbed her ankle and snapped it back into place. Heather jerked forward and Daryl immediately held his hand over her mouth. He held her against him, her screams muffled as Hershel messed with her ankle. She dug her nails into his arm and he grunted in pain when he felt the skin break. Her screams subsided and he felt tears falling onto his wrist, she was left struggling against him with weak sobs.

Once Hershel reset her ankle, he had Lori wrap it tightly in the pathetic ace bandage that was found in the lobby first aid kit. It wasn't much but if she kept her weight off it, it would eventually heal.

Rick removed his weight from her legs and looked down to her. She had slipped unconscious again but Daryl still held onto her. He paused before he carefully moved off the bed and situated her underneath the blanket.

He felt a wave of relief when he looked down at her. He breathed in and turned his head to Rick, who was frowning.

"It's going to take her awhile to heal." Rick said quietly, more to himself than anything.

"She will though." Daryl responded, looking away once he was aware he had voiced more than he wanted to about her.

Rick only nodded.

Daryl watched as Lori moved onto the bed, gently cleaning up the wound on her neck. He wanted to stay in the room with her but he couldn't deal with the way everyone was still looking at him, like he was going to snap still.

He felt a sense of calm he hadn't felt in days and he knew while it was only temporary, he could at least relax for a little bit. He would see her when she woke up.

* * *

**Now that Heather's back with the group, we'll have a lot of things to do with Carol coming up. :)**

**But first, how do you think Heather's going to react once she wakes up and is able to comprehend what's going on? I have a few directions I could take this but your opinions will help me decide.**

**Thank you to everyone who continues to review this, you guys have no idea how much your ideas actually help me. I appreciate everything you guys have to say.**


	40. Chapter 40

The dull buzzing played over in her head. She found that while she was almost positive she was alive, the sound was enough for her to believe she really had died and gone to hell. It was nonstop and she couldn't ignore it.

She didn't know how long she had been out, but from the way her back ached, she figured she had been lying in the same position at least a few days. Her mind was growing more alert by the minute, but her body couldn't seem to catch up.

She heard him then, his low voice carried in from the other room. Normally his voice wouldn't have been of comfort, the way it always sounded like he was growling, but now, she began to relax, her mind slowing down. She felt herself slipping again, the relief of protection not far from her keeping her at ease.

She wasn't far from gone when she felt rough, calloused fingers brushing over her hand before they held her wrist lightly. She heard a frantic, but quiet _tapping_, which she knew was him trying to hold his leg still. His hand moved and he pressed his fingers against the side of her neck, waiting for his reassurance before he pulled his hand away. She thought he had left then, the room growing completely silent, then she heard him. His voice was soft, not an ounce of grit in it as he whispered into her ear quietly.

_Wake up._

Her eyes shot open, a sharp intake of air shakily sounding in the room. She stared up at the ceiling for a moment, trying to adjust her vision. When her breathing had calmed, she turned her head and saw not Daryl, but Lori sitting in a chair that was next to her bed. The woman looked frightened, her eyes wide as she held a gun in her lap.

"Am I dead?" Heather asked, her voice weak, barely above a whisper.

Lori held a hand up to her chest and let out a breath before she shook her head, a strange smile showing.

"You were very close. If Rick and T hadn't found you when they did…you might not be so lucky." Lori told her, looking down into her lap.

"Where are we?"

Lori sighed and frowned, looking back up at her. Even she wasn't too sure of exactly where they were, all she knew, was that it was safe for now.

"Some hotel about ten miles from where they found you." Lori explained how they were pretty sure the building had been abandoned long before the end, save for a few people who stayed to look after the place. There hadn't been much in any of the rooms, which is what prompted their theory of abandonment.

Heather could tell that Lori had wanted to say something to her, ask her about something, and she figured that was the whole reason the woman had been in the room with her. She was waiting for her to wake up. It should have upset Heather, but she was far too exhausted still and she really just wanted to be alone.

"Did Rick get Shane's body?" Heather questioned finally, watching Lori's face fall as she dropped her head.

"They got it a couple days ago. Rick wanted to wait until you woke up before they buried him, but…he started rotting."

Heather turned her head away, trying not to let Lori see that thinking about Shane's rotting body made her stomach churn. He may have been an asshole, but he saved her life and she knew he wasn't a bad person, he had simply lost himself.

"How long have I been out?" Heather turned back to the older woman, her hunger making itself known in the silence.

"About four days. We were starting to get worried."

Heather let her eyes close again as she took in everything that had happened. Shane was dead, but the group had found her and now she was recovering in an actual bed. Her ankle still throbbed but she could already feel the difference with the tight bandage. She was hungry, cold and thirsty, but she knew it was going to get taken care of.

She shifted under the blankets, wincing when she moved her leg the wrong way, but quickly composed herself before Lori could offer to help. Her hand reached down to the pocket of her jeans, the necklace weighing heavily beneath her fingertips. She pulled it out and held it in her hands for a second, trying to decide if giving it to Lori was the right thing to do.

"I don't really feel comfortable giving this to you," Heather started, noticing how Lori turned to her and waited. She held the necklace out and instantly Lori's eyes began watering, "this was the last thing he asked me to do. He wanted you to have it."

Lori didn't say anything as she took the chain from her, gripping it in the palm of her hand lightly. Heather swallowed, almost regretting the action. It didn't feel right. Lori put the necklace in her own pocket and wiped underneath her eyes, trying to hide her tears. A silence fell between them but it surprisingly wasn't uncomfortable. There was an understanding between the two of them, and that was enough for Lori to reach out and touch Heather's hand lightly.

"I hope one day I can properly express how grateful I am for everything you've done for me and my family. I am so relieved you're alive."

Heather felt herself wince again, unintentionally letting Lori's words awkwardly run through her head. She wasn't used to so many emotions being thrown at her. Thankfully for her, the door opened, keeping Lori from saying anything else that might hit her the wrong way.

There was silence as Heather looked up at Daryl, his squinted eyes guarding the way they lit up. He faltered in the doorway, turning his head to Lori.

"Ya need to keep your kid in line. He followed us out again, almost got himself killed. Do somethin' about him or I will." he threatened, his voice thick with disgust. Heather couldn't tell if it was real or if he was being dramatic, which was even scarier.

Lori got up without saying anything and left the room, not once looking at him. He stood in the doorway, looking everywhere but to the bed. He hadn't expected her to be awake. Her room was the only place he could get away from everyone and sit in silence.

"Are ya ok?" he asked quietly, lifting his eyes up to hers.

She nodded quickly, biting down on her lip. He nodded as well, scratching at his jaw.

"Do ya need anythin'?"

"I'm really hungry." she replied, quieting her voice, "and thirsty."

"Think Carol's makin' soup." he muttered, "I'll get ya some."

He hesitated again, wondering if he should say anything more. He decided against it, as always and left the room.

Heather tried not to look disappointed when he didn't return but instead, Rick and Hershel did. Rick carried a bowl and a bottle of water. He sat down on the chair and pulled it to the edge of the bed, forcing a smile towards her.

"How'd ya sleep?" he questioned, handing her the water.

She smiled at him and opened the water, pausing before she took a small sip. It felt rough going down, the dryness of her throat making her cough lightly.

"Careful," he told her, watching her cautiously, "your stomach's gonna have a hard time accepting all this so eat it slow."

She took small sips of the broth as Hershel looked her over, commenting on how much weight she had lost and how hard it would be to gain it all back. She mostly ignored him once she was able to chew the noodles, focusing only on the food in front of her. She ate until she felt sick then washed it all down with the water. By this point, Hershel had begun looking over her ankle.

"You'll have to stay in bed for a few weeks. Since we don't have the proper dressing for a broken ankle, you have to keep weight off it until it heals completely." Hershel advised her, rewrapping it carefully.

"How long is a few weeks?" she wondered, not at all excited at being bed ridden.

"Well, since I can't tell how serious the break is, you're looking at about 8 weeks. 6 if you do what you're supposed to."

Heather felt her face drop at the news. She would spend literally the entire winter in bed. She thought she should have been excited about it, not having to do any work while the temperature was at it's lowest, but it only bummed her out.

"If we can find some crutches, will she be able to use those and get out of bed sooner?" Rick asked Hershel.

Hershel shrugged lightly and looked back to Heather.

"I would still give it about three weeks before you attempted crutches..if you're able to find any." he told her, then looked back to RIck, who nodded once.

"Could be worse." she mumbled, letting out a sigh.

She heard Rick laugh gently and when she turned to look at him, he was smiling at her. Hershel had taken the minute to exit the room quietly.

"You could be dead." he reminded her, "I'm surprised you made it as far as you did with that ankle."

"Shane carried me most of the way the first couple days." she said quietly, watching how his smile faded and he looked to his lap.

"We got him buried out back." he told her, confirming what Lori had said.

She nodded, silence filling the room again.

"Did he tell you what happened?" Rick asked her, keeping his eyes away from hers.

She had expected him to speak the truth, but she understood he didn't want to. He didn't like being the bad guy and with what happened between the two men, neither of them were considered good. Of course, she would never blame Rick for the decision he made.

"He told me." Heather confirmed, nodding her head as Rick reached his hand out to take the now empty bowl from her.

He nodded, biting down on his lip. There was a pause, a silence that she wanted to fill with anything, but she didn't know what to say to him. Shane had been his main concern and even though he was gone, he couldn't seem to relax, even just for a moment.

"It started snowing earlier," Rick started, thinking that changing the subject would be easier than dealing with more Shane, "not too much, but enough for the temperature to drop. Glenn and Daryl are out on a run, collecting as many blankets they can. We're stocked pretty well on canned goods for the time being but…we can never be too careful."

Heather played with her hands in her lap, her mind unsettled. She wanted to ask who else had survived the farm though she was unsure how to ask or if it was an appropriate time. She knew Carol was alive and that alone filled her with bitterness. Shane had mentioned Carol running the second Heather hit the the ground, not once looking back. She survived and Heather figured she always would as long as she didn't ever have to help anyone else.

"Is this place safe for winter?" she asked Rick, watching how he shrugged lightly.

"For now," he sighed, "Daryl and I have been reinforcing the doors and windows, securing them in case something happens. Another herd…people. We need shelter for winter and this was the best we could do with the time that was given to us."

Heather nodded, "I think it'll be ok here. I mean, I've been out for a few days and nothing bad has happened so far."

Rick smiled at her and let out a breath.

"You just relax, get as much rest as you can. Let's try to get you up and out of bed within a few weeks. I'm sure Daryl will go find some crutches for you."

Heather scrunched up her nose. She didn't like how he volunteered the younger man to go on a wild goose chase for her, though she figured he would have been the one to do it.

"Why Daryl?" she wondered, shaking her head.

Rick narrowed his eyes at her. He had never been sure if there was anything between them but he had seen the way Daryl nearly collapsed inwardly when he thought she was dead. Rick had seen the hunter in her room every night since she'd been back.

"He just will." Rick concluded, rising to his feet, "Get some rest. I'll be back in later with dinner for you."

He left the room then, keeping the door cracked so a sliver of light shone into the room. It was cold, the building completely void of any heat, so she pulled the blanket up to the bottom of her chin. She shivered slightly, realizing how boring being bed ridden was going to be.

She wasn't alone for long. After Rick left, members of the group began making their way into the wounded girl's room. First it was Maggie and Beth, who brought her another bottle of water and sat with her for quite some time, chatting and keeping her company. When Maggie and Beth departed, Carl came in, mostly to see the mildly infected neck wound, which he thought looked pretty cool. T-Dog was the last to visit her and it was only to return the modified bat Beth had been holding onto for her. She thanked him and before he left, he patted her arm lightly. It was reassuring and she no longer felt like she was a burden to the group again.

She was by herself for almost an hour when she realized there was a bathroom attached to the bedroom she was in, which was definitely a blessing. The only problem was Hershel told her not to get up. She was frustrated but she didn't want to have to yell for anyone, so she was extra careful.

She slid out of the bed, holding onto the chair for support as she shakily stood on her good foot. Her broken ankle began throbbing but she kept it off the ground, slowly moving from one stationary object to the next. She had almost made it to the bathroom by herself when the door opened and saw turned to see Daryl standing in the doorway.

"Ain't supposed to be out of bed." he said to her, watching her from his spot.

"I had to pee." she replied softly, keeping her head down.

She had expected him to scold her or at least help her the rest of the way. Instead, he turned away and let out a sigh.

"I ain't lookin', hurry up." he muttered.

She understood then that he didn't want to help her because he knew she could do it on her own. If he had been in the same position, he would've pushed the help away. He was letting her figure it out for herself.

When she was finished, she exited the bathroom and slowly made her way back to the bed. Daryl had made himself comfortable in the chair next to the bed, his legs stretched out in front of him. He carried two bowls of soup and a few more bottles of water. She crawled back into the bed and situated herself before he handed her a bowl.

"Soup's all we got right now." he told her, noticing how she looked down into the bowl.

"I'm not complaining." she smiled briefly, happy that she was able to eat anything at all.

They ate in silence together, mostly for lack of anything to say. He felt strange being in her presence after thinking she was dead. He was relieved but he wasn't sure if they stood in the same place as before the farm.

"Thank you for leaving those maps." Heather finally said.

Daryl shifted uncomfortably and shook his head.

"Don't gotta thank me. Didn't wanna leave ya behind."

Heather nodded, knowing she wasn't going to get anything else out of him.

"You thought I was dead."

She didn't question it but rather stated it, making it sound more cold than she had intended. Daryl didn't flinch as he nodded, still looking at her.

"Did that bother you?" she wondered, setting the bowl down in her lap.

Daryl looked away from her then, taking in a deep breath. He nodded slowly.

"More than I thought it would." he admitted, "I didn't wanna leave you behind." he repeated.

She paused in her thoughts, the food settling in her stomach. She was tired still and now that she was full, she could barely keep her eyes open.

"Go to sleep." she heard Daryl say, "I'll take care of the dishes."

Heather nodded, not actually wanting him to leave the room.

"Will you be back?" she asked him, trying to keep the slight beg from her voice.

"Want me to be?" he questioned, not wanting to sound too eager. He wanted her to voice exactly what she wanted from him.

She didn't say anything and he felt his heart pick up speed. She nodded then and he had to keep himself from smiling. It was all he needed to know nothing had changed between the two of them.

"I'll be back." he breathed, picking up the dishes.

Heather pressed her lips together and watched him leave the room. She hesitated briefly before she scooted over, making a bigger space to the right of her.

Just in case.

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**Thank you to everyone who keeps reading and reviewing! Hopefully in the next chapter we'll get to all the Carol "drama" and work our way through the winter.  
**

**Also, for the record, I do not dislike Carol at all. I actually quite like her. I just can't decide if I want her to be a friend or foe in this case.  
**

**Your suggestions are what help me decide what should happen!  
**


	41. Chapter 41

**I'll just get right to it!**

**Enjoy!**

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Over the next couple of weeks, Heather found herself constantly surrounded by the group. The snow had stalled any runs Rick had planned and the cold kept everyone indoors for the most part. At first the only consistent visitor she had, had been Daryl. But as the days dragged on and she began growing restless, the others started showing up.

Lori had quickly become a constant and Heather looked forward to when the older woman would bring her breakfast for their conversations. She could tell Lori was slowly sinking into a bitter depression, one that she had set up for herself though Heather still felt bad for her. She saw the way Rick would turn away from his wife whenever they talked. It pained her, even just observing it. She even noticed how he wouldn't enter the room to sit with her until after Lori had left.

Between taking part in watch and cleaning up the few rooms in the hotel, the others had become regular visitors in Heather's prison. She welcomed anyone that came into her room, whether to get away from everyone else or simply converse. She didn't want to admit to anyone that was getting lonely and the few books Daryl had found around the hotel had been read more than a couple times.

The only person in the group who didn't make more than one appearance, had been Carol. Her one visit had been short and she didn't even make eye contact. Heather had expected the woman to shy away from her at first but after a week passed and she still hadn't shown her face, Heather gave up thinking she would. She would have been bothered by it but it became obvious why she wouldn't come near the room.

Daryl.

Whatever thoughts she had about him and the other woman had faded almost as soon as he had come back to her room her first night being awake. He hadn't slept on the bed like she had secretly hoped he would, but he stayed in her room the entire night. And every night after that. He would always be gone when she woke up but always returned after Lori left in the mornings.

When he wasn't doing watch or helping Rick do things around the hotel, he was in the room with her, doing whatever he could to keep her from going crazy. Heather knew he wasn't used to waiting on people but he kept his complaining to a minimum when she asked for something. He still flinched occasionally when she touched him and though he had gotten used to her blunt statements, she often saw him wincing when her words included him in any positive light.

By the beginning of the third week, Heather could easily make her way to the bathroom without Daryl having to help her, which relieved both of them for many reasons; one being privacy. She had mentioned finding crutches whenever they went on a run and just as Rick predicted, Daryl gave in, trying to sound nonchalant as he said he would look around.

The snow had thinned enough that Rick decided it was time to go on a run. He knew they would have a few days before more snow fell and couldn't see a better time to find another town to scavenge. He volunteered Daryl, Glenn, and Maggie to accompany him and proposed they leave as soon as possible. They gathered some supplies in case they had to spend the night somewhere and left in Hershel's truck.

Heather felt herself frown as they left, cursing to herself for being so clumsy. She hated being stuck in bed and with the small group gone, she could feel the boredom setting in. Lori was in the fast developing stages of her pregnancy and the changes sometimes kept her in bed, which resulted in someone else having to bring her breakfast. Heather was almost surprised when Carol opened the door to her room.

She hesitated in the doorway before she stepped in and walked over to the bed. Heather saw she had mistaken her nervousness for being timid. Her hands shook slightly as she handed Heather the bowl of oatmeal she had prepared. Heather didn't know what she was supposed to say to the woman who had abandoned her, left her for dead. All the bitterness she had felt during her time with Shane came back as Carol sat down in the chair next to the bed.

"Taste alright?" she asked after a minute, her quiet voice barely heard through the silence echoing through the room.

Heather nodded and set the bowl down in her lap. She was angry now but she knew how to control herself. Carol was looking around the room, anywhere but to the bed. Her eyes stopped on the pile of clothes lying by the chair. Daryl's.

"Daryl said you're able to get up on your own now." Carol stated slowly, narrowing her eyes cautiously.

"Did he?"

Carol nodded, "He didn't want to leave, you know, he tried to go back for you."

Heather pressed her lips together and bit her tongue, trying not to unleash a bout of anger she knew Carol wasn't prepared for.

"He's going to get himself killed if he keeps trying to protect you." Carol spoke again, her voice low as she looked to her lap, "He doesn't deserve that."

Heather breathed in and clenched her fist. At first she thought Carol had come in to make peace but it became apparent that the woman had simply come to start some sort of argument. As much as she tried to avoid confrontation, Heather couldn't sit back and bite her tongue anymore.

"I never asked him to look after me." she said calmly.

Carol shrugged her shoulders and frowned.

"I bet you didn't ask Shane to look after you either but there he was."

"Don't you dare bring him into this." Heather shook her head, "He protected me because he didn't believe in leaving anyone behind, unlike you, who would leave anyone behind in a heartbeat. I nearly died trying to help you."

"I made it to Daryl just fine." Carol insisted, her eyes flaring up at the accusation.

Heather hadn't expected a fight to escalate so quickly and even though she was stuck in bed, she was positive she could knock the woman on the ground if it came down to it.

"You had Rick, you had Shane…you're bad luck. You don't need Daryl."

Carol rose to her feet then and looked down at Heather, who was trying so hard not to completely snap.

"He only looks after you because he feels bad. He's a good man like that."

"He looks after me because he cares about me." Heather couldn't help but smile through her anger, "Do you know what that's like? To have him watching your back all the time, making sure you're ok?"

Heather watched as Carol's face fell and she was numbly staring at her. She could tell she hit a nerve with the woman from the way her bottom lip seemed to quiver. Always the victim.

"You don't," Heather continued, shaking her head, "you know why? Because he doesn't care about you. And even if he does, he will never care about you the way he cares about me."

"You should've died back at the farm!" Carol yelled at her suddenly, "Everyone was so quick to move on when they realized you weren't there! You don't matter!"

Heather opened her mouth to retaliate with anything she could think of. She thought of rubbing it her face that not only had she shared a bed with Daryl but they had even kind of made out one night. Betraying Daryl's trust kept her from parting her lips.

"Get out of my room." Heather felt her chest heave with anger, her teeth gritted shut as she tried to keep herself from screaming.

Carol seemed taken aback by the simple response and stood still for a moment.

"Get out." Heather spoke louder, leaning forward on the bed.

She was prepared to swing her fists but Lori in the doorway stopped her. There was concern on her face as she stared at the scene in front of her.

"What's going on?" she questioned quietly, having heard the yelling from the other room.

"Get her out of here, Lori. Please." Heather begged her, losing her calm exterior.

Lori nodded, her mouth parted slightly as she reached out for Carol's arm. Carol instantly let the tears fill her eyes as Lori pulled her out of the room, lightly telling her to start preparing something for lunch.

Once Carol was gone, Lori turned back into the room. Heather was staring at her hands in her lap, her jaw set as she breathed in.

"Everything ok?" she asked softly, brushing her hair back with her hand.

Heather looked up and tried to nod but instead shook her head. She knew she didn't want to talk about it, but she couldn't deny that nothing was wrong. Lori would be able to see right through her lies.

"Do you need to talk about it?"

"Maybe later." Heather told her, shaking her head slowly.

Lori didn't press any further as she nodded and backed out of the room, closing the door behind her. She made her way back into the lobby where Beth and Carol were sitting by the fireplace they kept lit throughout the day. Carol looked her way and when she saw no hint that she had been told what happened, she turned away. Lori decided that whatever happened between the two women would have to be known to Rick when he got back in case there were going to be anymore problems in the near future.

The scavenging group arrived back at the hotel just after it started getting dark. They had found a small stockpile of canned foods, a single burner, more blankets, and even a few batteries. It was a successful trip but the harsh wind let it be known they would be receiving more snow.

Lori caught up with Rick before he could leave her sight and explained what she had walked in on, leaving out exactly what she had heard as to not get anything mixed up. She made it clear that there had been an argument and Heather was very visibly upset about it. Rick seemed stressed out about the facts but knew he would have to do something about it. He figured he would let it rest over night and talk to one of them in the morning.

Daryl had been standing by Rick as Lori spoke to him and though he couldn't hear all of what she was saying, he only knew it had upset Heather. He found he wasn't very pleased to find this out.

Heather was still stewing over Carol's words when she heard a faint knock on the door. She didn't say anything but the door opened anyway. Daryl stepped in the room, quietly closing the door behind him. He set his bow down on the ground and made his way to the chair, watching her for any kind of reaction as he sat down. He opened the bag he had carried with him and pulled out a few books, setting them on the wooden table next to the bed.

"Got ya more books. Didn't have much of a selection but I didn't think ya'd mind." he told her, his eyes still watching her figure.

He could tell something was off from the way she didn't look up at him. In the past few weeks he had gotten used to the way she always looked at him when he talked. Always smiled when he spoke to her.

"Thank you." she said quietly, fidgeting with her hands in her lap.

He was bothered by her silence, his eyebrows knitted together as he picked one of the books up. _The Stranger._ He had never read it but he figured she would enjoy anything at this point. He tossed the book to her, leaning forward in the chair.

"What happened while we were gone?" Daryl asked her, hoping to get a precise answer from her.

Heather shrugged, "Carol has issues."

Daryl frowned and leaned back into the chair. She wasn't going to talk about it with him, at least not yet. He understood she had to think about things before she could voice anything aloud, so he nodded and let the topic drop for now.

Heather opened the book and let out a deep breath. Daryl watched her carefully, noticing how her eyes scanned the words before she flipped the pages. She read a few chapters in his silence before she began to yawn. It was still cold in the room and with the temperature dropping, her yawn left a light cloud of air as she breathed out. She turned to Daryl, who was still looking at her as he chewed at the skin on his thumb. He stood up and swatted at her knee.

"Scoot over." he muttered, waiting for her to move before he sat down on the bed next to her, shoulder to shoulder.

He lifted the blankets up and pulled them over his legs and up to his chest, tucking his hands into the fabric as he shivered. Heather felt the cold soak into her body as his body tried to adjust. He held his hands up to his mouth and breathed on them, trying desperately to warm them up. Somewhere between the car and her room his body had begun to freeze.

She hesitated before she reached over and grabbed his hand. He stopped moving as she held it between her own hands, using her warmth to cover his cold. She held onto it for a few more minutes, then shook her head.

"I don't think your hands are going to make it." she said halfheartedly, faking a frown.

He pulled his hand away and scoffed, bringing it back up to his mouth.

"That's what you get for playing outside all day with no gloves." she told him, picking the book back up.

Daryl continued breathing on his hands as she set the book aside and slid to a laying position, letting out another yawn. Whatever had happened while he was gone still sat in the corners of his mind but he pushed it away and tried to concentrate on what she was doing. She slowly rolled onto her back, pulling the blanket back up to the bottom of her chin.

"Do you have watch in the morning?" she wondered, looking up at him.

He shook his head slowly. Part of the reason he had even decided to lay down in the bed was because he had the morning completely free. Lori only entered the room if she saw Daryl out first and he knew they wouldn't have to worry about anyone stepping in on them together. He didn't want anyone knowing his business.

"I'm going to sleep." she told him, nodding her head.

He waited a minute after she closed her eyes before he scooted down and situated himself next to her. It had been weeks since they'd last slept together but he instantly felt the comfort of having her next to him. He rolled onto his side, keeping his hands by his face as they were still cold.

He watched her chest rise and fall with each breath, making them with his own as he felt his eyelids start to fall. He opened them when he heard her breathe out and move next to him. She was still awake, looking up to the ceiling.

"Go ta sleep." he muttered.

She lifted her head up, meeting his eyes. He saw a hint of uncertainty on her face as she chewed on the inside of her cheek. She reached up and took his hand again, never once taking her eyes away from his as she pulled it down.

He moved closer to her, looking away from her as she moved his hand down the length of her stomach. His body tensed next to her, his fingers brushing at the fabric of her jeans. He stopped his hand when he felt her thigh against his palm.

He swallowed, his throat suddenly dry.

"It's ok." she told him quietly and he believed her.

He let out a breath and gave her his trust, closing his eyes as she pulled his hand between her legs. He understood she wasn't going to do anything he didn't want her to and as she held his hand between her legs, he knew she was only warming him up her own way.

Heather let go of his hand and brushed her fingers across his wrist before she pulled away completely. Daryl moved his hand up, attempting to steady the shake as his fingertips found the hem of her shirt. He looked at her, trying to see any kind of revulsion on her face. He saw none so he dared to keep going.

Heather closed her eyes as Daryl slid his hand underneath her shirt, his hand resting on her stomach. She turned her head towards him, feeling his warm breath on the side of her head. He had moved his head down, his lips by her ear.

She tilted her head up, pausing before he caught on to what she was doing and leaned his own head down. He felt awkward at first, pressing his lips against hers with his hand up her shirt, so she turned onto her side and his hand was gripping her waist.

She didn't force herself onto him or even try to make the kiss go somewhere. She knew she had to be patient with him. He kissed her again, letting his lips linger, allowing himself to enjoy her as she lightly touched the side of his face.

Daryl pulled away from her, letting her roll onto her side before he slid his arm around her, hand still safe underneath her shirt.

She closed her eyes again, only paying attention to the way Daryl breathed by her ear quietly. The way he held onto her.

Carol had been wrong about what she said.

She mattered, most of all to Daryl. She knew this now positively as she felt his lips on the back of her neck, just as she had known it any other time he had given her any ounce of feeling.

She had managed to get past nearly every wall he had put up throughout his life and while this was a feat, she felt there was still an imbalance between them.

The cold realization stung and she struggled to keep herself from exuding anything that might alarm Daryl.

She was his.


	42. Chapter 42

**Hi guys! Sorry for the terribly long delay. I've been super busy with school and work BUT I figured you guys needed an update from me so while this isn't as long or eventful as I wanted, I'm going to post it anyway and give you a real update in a few days.**

**This chapter is mostly Daryl and all of his feelings, so bear with me here. We'll be getting deeper into the Heather/Daryl relationship business very very soon. I have some things planned for these two which includes a new step in their budding relationship, so be prepared!**

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He was always unsure. That would be his downfall, he decided. His insecurities made it nearly impossible for him to take the next step, whatever that might have been. He knew she wouldn't be satisfied with the way they were going, not for too much longer. It had taken him almost a complete month just to share the bed with her again. She would want more and it was then he began to question whether he was able to give her what she wanted.

He breathed in heavily, trying not to fidget as she continued sleeping, his arm still wrapped around her tightly. It was strange, having her so close to him, yet familiar. He had been a different person before the end but now..he could only imagine the things Merle would say if he saw the two of them together; their chests rising in sync with one another, their bodies molded together perfectly beneath the thick blanket. Daryl cringed and pressed his forehead harder against the back of her neck, inhaling her sweet scent.

She tensed her body, the first sign that she was waking. He recalled how distant she had been the night before then remembered an argument had taken place. He could sense that she was still bothered, even just coming out of her slumber. She scooted her body back, sliding her uninjured leg between the two of his as he held himself still. He may have been comfortable around her but he just couldn't get used to all the physical touching that took place when they were alone.

Heather turned around in his arms, her eyes still closed as she smiled. He couldn't help the small smile that escaped him when her cheeks turned a faint pink. Daryl moved his hand up and brushed her hair out of her face, then sighed.

"Morning." she said quietly, burying her face against his shoulder as she stifled a yawn.

He grunted as quietly as she had spoken and he heard her laugh softly before pulling her head away. She looked at him for a moment, her eyes narrowing. He thought she was going to say something from the way she held his gaze, but before words could pass through her lips, there was a knock at the door.

Daryl jumped off the bed quickly, without a thought, and positioned himself on the chair. He had forgotten how nervous he got when the thought of other people seeing them crossed his mind. Heather was looking up at the door but he could see the disappointment clearly marked on her face from his actions. He bit down on his lip, almost ashamed at how fast he had moved.

He let his shame drop to the bottom of his gut when Rick peeked his head in, a hesitant look on his face. He nodded at Daryl once, then turned his attention to the girl in the bed. She flinched under his gaze and Daryl saw her look down to her lap as she pulled herself to a sitting position.

"Mind if I talk to her alone?"

Daryl grabbed his boots off the ground and put them on, purposely taking his time as Rick lingered by the door. The hunter sensed the sheriff would want to put in the last word before he left the room. He picked his bow up off the ground and headed to the door, stopping as Rick touched his arm briefly.

"Keep an eye on things," he nodded, his voice low, "I don't want any interruptions...I'm gonna be in here for awhile."

Daryl bit down on his bottom lip to keep from questioning the man and instead grimaced. He looked back to Heather, who was staring at him with wide eyes, scared almost, and he felt a pang in his stomach. He turned away quickly, exiting the room before he had a chance to say or do anything that would put the attention on him.

He didn't have watch that morning, something he had been looking forward to before Rick's interruption, so whatever lazy plans he might have had were put on the back burner. The lobby was empty, which Daryl thought was strange considering it wasn't too early. Most of the group had eventually found their own rooms after a few nights, the faint touch of safety enough for them to spread out and give each other room. Maggie and Glenn had been the first to clear out a room, more than likely finding it difficult to fool around with Hershel in the same room. After that, it seemed like the proper thing to do.

Rick had been the only person who opted to stay in the lobby, which no one questioned since no one really wanted to know. Lori had picked a space for her and Carl. Daryl learned to turn away whenever there was any tension between the married couple. Heather spent a lot of time with both of them and sometimes, to his amusement, she would state her opinions when it came to the Grimes'. He would only listen and after awhile, he began to notice the small differences in their actions.

Daryl held his bow close to him, sniffing as he tried to decide what he should be doing. As far as he knew, T-Dog was on the roof of the hotel, the place they had made specially designated for watch since the RV was no longer an option. He hated climbing up there, especially in the cold, but he figured it would at least keep him occupied enough until Rick was done in the room. It was then he realized he had left his coat by the side of the bed.

"Fuck." he muttered under his breath, stopping in his step before he got to the front door.

He turned back around, his first instinct to go back and grab it, but stopped again and breathed in heavily. There was no use in going back for it, he knew the real reason he wanted to was because he kept seeing Heather's face in his mind. He didn't like how nervous she looked as he was leaving.

Daryl sighed and sat down on the couch that was sitting furthest away from the front door. He pushed a blanket out of the way and leaned back, his hand brushing against an object beneath. He reached underneath the blanket and pulled out a book, one he recognized from the small pile in Heather's room, the books he had collected for her on every trip he had made. He looked at the cover and squinted, remembering when she had first read it. _Ishmael. _She had tried telling him about it, insisting he give it a try, but after brushing it off a couple times, she gave up. She must have convinced Rick to read it and from the looks of it, he probably fell asleep to it the previous night.

Daryl opened the book, noticing there were slips of paper wedged between certain pages. He smiled to himself, knowing Heather always kept tabs on things, always kept notes for herself. He flipped through a few pages, reading the spots she had marked, trying to find significance in the words. When he came up empty handed, he closed the book and held it in his lap. He felt a sudden sense of uneasiness in the pit of his stomach and he knew it had to do with her.

Everyday he struggled with the endless bouts of insecurities that not only plagued him, but also threatened whatever growing attachment he had to Heather. At first it had been easy for him to convince himself he didn't care and he was only around her out of guilt. But now, after everything, he was becoming increasingly frustrated by the way he couldn't seem to stay away from her.

He caught onto her little actions, how her hand would brush against his arm or the soft laugh he heard whenever he accidentally told a joke. He found himself aching for touch, no matter how brief. The part that stopped him from taking any action, other than the terrifying thought of intimacy, was the little voice in his head that screamed every time he thought he was getting to close to her, _she's only doing this because she's nice. She doesn't have any interest in you. She's too good for you._

He had attempted to pull away, using any excuse possible to stay away from her room, but every night he found himself in the same spot; in the chair by her bed, quietly observing her until the first flash of sunlight peeked in the room. He wasn't sure if she knew he was always there, which he actually preferred. At least that way, he would never be embarrassed by the knowledge of him being so tightly wound.

Daryl set the book next to him and sighed again. Most days he could go without thinking too hard though he should have known it wouldn't be today. He was annoyed by the fact that all his thoughts were brought on by a simple book. But then, he had been annoyed how everything reminded him of Heather and these thoughts always clouded his mind. He shoved the book away from him and looked around the room, the cold lightly nipping at his bare arms.

He was hungry, that much was certain, and as he stood up again, he could hear someone moving around the small break room that was behind the front desk. It wasn't big but there was a small fridge that still worked and a table they could sit at. They'd been able to make small fires outside the hotel during the day long enough to either boil water or to cook what little food Daryl had managed to scavenge when hunting.

Daryl pushed open the door, half expecting to see Carol, who always cooked the meals for the group. Instead, he found himself surprised that Lori was up and gathering the food to make breakfast for everyone. They didn't have much food but it was always made sure there was enough for a meal when they first woke up. Lori stood up straight, startled by the sound of the door moving, and nervously smiled at Daryl.

"I didn't know you were up." she told him quietly, turning her attention back to the fridge, where she reached in to find something.

Daryl grunted and shook his head.

"Rick wanted to talk to Heather." he explained, moving around her to the table.

He had been around her long enough to be content in her presence though she never seemed completely comfortable in his. It didn't bother him, he was used to people shying away from him.

"Did she tell you what happened?" Lori wondered, turning back to him.

He shook his head once before she nodded. He felt like he was missing out on something and he didn't like it.

"She tell ya?" he asked.

Lori let out a breath and shook her head as well, rubbing the palms of her hands against her jeans. Daryl noticed how tired she seemed to be recently and he had attributed it to being pregnant at first, but now he figured it also had to do with the tension between her and Rick.

"Her and Carol got into yesterday." Lori stated, watching his face for a reaction.

Daryl felt his fist tighten slightly at the words.

"'Bout what?"

This time Lori hesitated, looking away from him.

"I think...it was about you." she spoke quietly this time, unsure of how he would react.

Daryl looked down to his lap, his heart beginning to race. It would explain why Heather didn't want to talk about it with him, she knew he wouldn't want to be a part of it in any way. He did feel angry about it, mainly because he didn't need to hear anymore to know Carol was the one who started it.

"Ya hear what they said?" he asked her, narrowing his eyes as he looked back up at her.

"I didn't hear much," she admitted, shaking her head, "Carol told Heather no one here cared about her. It really upset her, made her cry."

Daryl tensed again, involuntarily wincing as he tried to calm to rush of feelings he had in that instant. He was mad. Mad that he couldn't figure out what was said about him. Mad because the argument had caused damage in the most heavily guarded place Heather regarded: her feelings.

"I know you care about her, you don't have to say it, I just don't think she knows that. Or at least, I don't think she does anymore. Carol got it into her head that you're around her out of guilt."

He shut down then, his mind moving quickly as Lori continued making breakfast. She didn't say anything else to him, just watched him carefully, as if he were going to snap. He kept his composure, not wanting to give away the fact that the thought of her crying killed him. He wasn't used to feeling so deeply about someone else anguish, and he only wished Rick would hurry. For what reason, he didn't know. He wouldn't be able to comfort her, his lack of experience only worked in his favor at night. He felt safer in the dark, with her not being able to see him and how nervous he always felt near her.

By the time Lori finished cooking what they had, lukewarm oatmeal and cans of fruit, people started trickling into the small room. Maggie and Glenn were the first. They both greeted Lori and Daryl, grabbed their food, and went back to their room. Carl came in next, not saying a word as he picked up his bowl and sat down across from Daryl. It wasn't until Carol walked in the room that Daryl finally stood up.

Lori paused, not sure what he was going to do, then relaxed when he grabbed two bowls off the counter top. She was used to seeing him grab two of everything, knowing he took them to Heather all the time.

"Are you going to eat too, Daryl?" he heard Carol ask behind him.

He turned around and looked at her, trying to remain calm as his lips parted.

"Mind your own business." he told her, "Stay outta mine."

She closed her mouth and clutched her hands to her chest, her bottom lip quivering slightly at his harsh tone. Normally, he would have felt some sort of guilt. Normally, he would have thought twice before turning away. But this time, he couldn't wait to get away from her.


	43. Chapter 43

**Quick update!**

* * *

Rick had spent the first 20 minutes telling her a story from when he was younger. When he first decided he wanted to become a sheriff. She listened patiently as he spoke about the toll it took on him at the beginning. He had to learn how to not be so empathetic, the one trait he still had trouble keeping hidden. He told her he had tried to desensitize himself, he figured after being around so much hate and violence, he would be able to turn the other cheek and not feel so much for anyone involved. It never worked, he said, and he often went home with a heavy heart.

Heather understood why he was telling his story; it was his way of softening the blow. He always had to make his point before he laid into her.

When he finished, there was a silence that almost echoed through the room. Rick sighed and leaned forward in the chair, keeping his elbows on his knees. He looked up at her and she could see the exhaustion clear as day on his face.

"I don't need to know the details of what went on yesterday," he finally began, sighing again, "but I do need you to tell me if this is going to be a problem."

Heather shook her head almost immediately, balling the blanket in her hand. It made her uncomfortable how Rick was looking at her, as if he were disappointed.

"We pull together to survive," Heather shook her head again, "It won't happen again."

She saw Rick smile briefly before he nodded.

"Should I keep you two separated?" he asked and she wondered if he was joking.

She looked down, "I'm still down for the count. Give me a few more weeks."

When she looked back up, Rick was grinning, his hands held together on top of his connecting knees. He suddenly looked more awake, his eyes widened slightly as he sat straighter, rolling his shoulders back.

"Just out of curiosity, what started the argument?" Rick asked her.

Heather licked her bottom lip and took her eyes away from him. It felt childish talking about. She didn't enjoy discussing the fact that an older woman stooped low enough to make her feel guilty for a man caring about her. She could only shrug as she turned her head back to him.

"Did Daryl and Carol ever...have a relationship?" she questioned, almost surprised that the question escaped her.

Rick frowned and shook his head.

"Not that I know of. Her husband was around when I met them. And Daryl..." he trailed off, his head moving slowly, "Never seen him with anyone but you."

Heather nodded this time, "I couldn't tell you what started it then. I think she's upset I'm still alive."

"People react to situations differently." Rick told her, "Carol had a hard life before all this happened and when Sophia went missing, Daryl was the only one who continued searching for her. Maybe Carol assumed he was doing it for reasons other than his own."

Heather thought about it and realized it did make sense. She had seen the way Carol looked at him, how she always lingered around him though Daryl never showed the slightest interest.

"I'm no expert on relationships, believe me, but I do know that communication is important." Rick started again, his voice dropping in volume as he looked up at her, "Chances are he already knows what's going on and I know he isn't the easiest person to talk to sometimes, but you really should just talk to him."

She knew he was right but the thought didn't set her at ease. Instead, she groaned inwardly and leaned her head back against the wall.

"I really doubt he'll be up to talk to someone who used him as a weapon against someone else." she muttered, shaking her head.

Rick only smiled, "Well, at least you can say you know him well enough to expect his reaction."

"Don't we all?" she questioned sardonically.

There was a pause in their conversation as Rick adjusted himself on the chair. He was thinking, she could tell, his eyes narrowed as he chewed on the inside of his lip. He was no longer concerned about the feud between the two women.

"We should teach the whole group to defend themselves." Rick suggested, "We started back on the farm but now, with more people. I think we would benefit from the training. We don't need people running off to help those who can't defend themselves."

Heather agreed, "We have plenty of weapons."

"Not very many guns though," he frowned to himself and breathed in, "definitely not very much ammo left."

"We use the guns only for emergencies, like always, maybe keep them only with the people who know how to use them."

"Seems fair enough." Rick nodded, "We've been lucky so far since the snow but I have a feeling the rest of the winter won't be so easy on us. I'll have a small group go out tomorrow to gather supplies we might need. We'll find you some crutches so you can get out of bed and help with the training."

"I don't know how good I'll be with that." she told him, shaking her head slightly.

"Heather, I don't think you understand how many times you've narrowly escaped death. I'm the one who taught you to shoot properly, so I know you'll be able to help with the guns. You're obviously capable of surviving with just a bat or knife. Aside from Daryl, I think you would be the most experienced survivor here."

Heather digested his words, accepting his reasoning. She'd survived on her own more than once and even though one of her legs was out of commission, she knew she would be able to help the group defend themselves.

"What if we can't find any crutches?" she wondered, her gaze moving down to her solitary leg. It was still wrapped in an ace bandage that either Hershel or Daryl re wrapped for her everyday since she'd been back.

"We'll figure something out." he said, the promise clear in his voice.

Heather smiled lightly, finding herself relieved that the original conversation hadn't gotten out of control. She had expected Rick to lecture her on the importance of keeping peace within the group, though she already knew what he would have said. _Strength in numbers. _In all honesty, she had no problem with Carol, she was now just annoyed that the woman really did see things that weren't there. She had been blamed for Daryl's actions and while she didn't want to dwell on the details any longer, she was still bothered by the lack of explanation from the latter.

Then again, she never bothered to ask him.

"Are you going crazy yet?" Rick asked her, attempting to change the subject.

Heather laughed and turned to him. He was smiling slightly, his eyebrows raised as he looked at her.

"Insane." she admitted, "If it weren't for you guys...I probably would've offed myself weeks ago."

Rick's smile faltered before catching her sarcasm. She noticed the subtle change in his posture as he looked down to his hands. His thoughts had turned other places.

"How is she doing?" he questioned quietly, his voice cracking.

He cleared his throat and looked back up at her. Heather breathed in, the change in subject not what she had expected. She could tell the stress of their current life was a lot for him to handle, adding to that the strained marriage and a baby on the way...she could understand why he avoided his own wife.

"Depressed." she answered honestly, seeing him wince before nodding, "She's good at hiding it but I know."

"And Carl?"

Heather sighed again. The Grimes family had, one at a time, developed their own relationships with her. Carl had most recently made himself comfortable in her room, as long as Rick or Lori weren't there.

"He's fine. Trying to adjust is difficult for him. He's doing his best though." she explained to him, hoping her answer would be enough for him.

It must have. He didn't say anything else until there was a knock at the door.

"Are you gonna be ok?" he asked quickly, setting his hands on the arms of the chair.

Heather nodded to him. He pressed his lips into a tight smile and nodded as well.

"Come in." he called out.

The door opened and Daryl stuck his head in, looking directly at the man in the chair.

"Breakfast." he mumbled, holding out the two bowls as proof of his word.

"Did you eat yet?" Rick asked him, rising to his feet.

Daryl shook his head, "No."

"Alright, go ahead and eat. I'm gonna get T and Glenn and do the walks around the building. Come find me when you finish." Rick instructed the younger man before exiting the room with a quick nod in Heather's direction.

Daryl stood by the door for a moment, taking in a deep, shaky breath, then slowly moved to the chair that had been previously occupied. He sat down, handing Heather a bowl, then started eating in silence.

Heather picked at the food on her plate, watching him from the corner of her eye. He was rigid in the chair, the stab of his fork forceful. He didn't look at her which only assisted in her conclusion.

"You're mad." she said suddenly, turning her head to look at him.

Daryl hesitated before he set the fork down and lifted his eyes to her. They were narrowed, the blue hardened as he nodded slightly.

"Tell me what she said." he stated, not taking his eyes away.

Heather felt her mouth drop, surprised he was concerned with what Carol had said, rather than herself. She wondered if he had been told the whole story. There was more silence before she told him through an uncertain tone. She told him everything that had happened, even her words despite the voice that told her he would get even more mad if he found out.

She waited.

He just continued looking at her, no change in his expression. He no longer looked tense though she could see him gritting his teeth. She looked away, still able to sense his eyes on her. It felt like hours before he finally shifted his gaze back to the food he was holding onto. He moved his fork back and started eating again, the silence suffocating her.

"I do, ya know." he said, stopping until she was looking at him again, "Care 'bout ya."

Heather swallowed, her breath catching in her throat. She saw his hands were trembling slightly in his lap as he tried to hold the bowl still.

"Never had no one but Merle. Even he wasn't around most of the time. I don't-" he paused, wincing as he tried to phrase his words. She saw him struggling but stayed silent, allowing him to compose himself. "I don't know how to do...this."

He lifted a hand up and she knew what he meant. The months she'd known him, the hesitant and uncertain touches were obvious indications. Ones that she ignored for his sake. Daryl had never been in a relationship, at least, a real one. She could see he was both embarrassed and upset about his silent confession.

"I can wait." she told him, the only words she could seem to muster.

He was confused at first, about what she would be waiting for, then he shrugged. She had been patient long enough for him, without complaint. He wasn't asking her to wait for him to come around, he realized during the week she was missing what he wanted. After telling her aloud how he felt, even in the slightest, he knew they could only move forward.

"I'll just...figure stuff out when it happens." he said, knowing she would understand.

Heather nodded, "One day at a time."

He wondered how he had gotten so lucky to know her. Before the end, the thought of having to be with someone in order to feel normal would have made him sick. But with her, he felt just that way. The week she had been gone was frighteningly painful for him to endure. He hadn't realized his feelings were so deep until then. Even when Merle disappeared, he had "recovered" almost instantly.

He knew that with his words, he was giving himself to her and for once, it didn't bother him.

Daryl finally felt relaxed as he watched her turn her attention back to her food. She didn't look defeated like she had when he left the room earlier in the morning. Rick's talk with her must have set her at ease.

"Stay away from Carol for awhile." he told her, scooping some food into his mouth.

"Planning on it."

He nodded, aware that she wasn't paying attention. They finished eating their food and after partially assisting her to the bathroom so she could brush her teeth, Daryl found himself wanting to stay with her. He watched her emerge from the bathroom, her hair pulled back into a loose bun and somewhat clean clothes now on. She hobbled faintly before she held onto the doorknob.

Daryl stood up and reached his hand out, smiling when she held onto it with a huff. He tightened his fingers around her hand as she hopped on her good foot, one step at a time, back to the bed. She sat down on the edge, letting go of his hand.

"Gonna go find Rick now." he told her, picking up her book from the side table. He handed it to her, "I'll be back in a bit."

"Could you see if Maggie will come keep me company?" she asked him.

He agreed, reaching behind her to pull her pillows against the wall. She leaned back against them, looking up at him. He was quick, barely giving her a chance to react before he closed in on the space between them and pressed his lips against hers. When he pulled away he didn't look at her.

"I'll be back." he repeated.

He picked up the two empty bowls and quietly left the room.

* * *

**Just so you're aware of what's coming in the future chapters.  
**

**-Still have the winter which is going to include the housing development from the comics and then some.  
**

**-Have a few deaths.**

**-A few new introductions.  
**

**-More steps in the Heather/Daryl relationship.**

**-More steps in the Heather/Everyone else relationship.**

**-The prison.**

**-Carol stuff; not exactly drama, but I can't tell you what else. **

**Plus, more as always!**

Thank you to everyone who continues to read and review this. Your suggestions and input really help the creative process.


	44. Chapter 44

The next week passed by without incident.

There had been no luck in the search for crutches, which ultimately delayed whatever training Rick had wanted to get done. Things around the group continued as normal. Carol and Lori spent the days doing laundry while Beth and Maggie kept the building clean, doing the small amount of dishes and picking up after everyone. Glenn, T-Dog and Daryl switched off between doing watch shifts and going on runs with Rick, who spent most of his free time making weapons out of random items he found around the hotel. Carl mostly wandered off by himself or spent time reading and playing card games with Hershel and Heather.

After Heather and Rick's talk, followed by Heather and Daryl's, the tension in the air had completely dissipated. Carol went back to her own devices, which didn't include Daryl in any way and Heather stayed in her room. It was almost as if nothing had passed between the two of them.

Heather's ankle was healing, there was hardly any pain and she could easily move from the bed to the bathroom without Daryl feeling like he needed to help her. She had secretly hoped that Hershel had been wrong about how long it would take for it to heal, but she still found that putting any weight on it caused her to tear up. Daryl had been with her every time she tried and despite his endless nagging, she would attempt the feat anyway; and every time, he would scowl and she would understand the look without him having to say, _told ya._

The temperature had dropped drastically, which worried Rick when he realized how cold it was going to get. He felt like they weren't prepared for their first winter without any heat. He was also worried about food and how their stockpile seemed to be depleting quicker than he had hoped for. Though he had been constantly trying to prepare for the harsh months of winter and what new kinds of dangers it could bring, he didn't think it would be enough.

Food, weapons, shelter.

It was never enough.

Rick got together a small group to venture into the town roughly 40 miles from their hotel to go on one last scavenge before the snow came. Daryl had predicted a storm coming, something Rick had been anticipating yet prayed wouldn't happen. Once word came to dispel his hopes, he decided it would be the best time to get last minute preparations. Daryl, of course, went with him; accompanied by Glen and T Dog. They packed enough food and supplies to last them a couple nights, a precaution none of them preferred.

Once they were ready to leave, Daryl made his way back to Heather's-_their _room. He wasn't surprised to see her sitting in the same spot she always was with a book in her lap. Lori was sitting in the chair next to the bed, smiling at whatever had been said between the two women. They both looked up when he entered, his discomfort immediately taking over when their eyes were on him.

"Heading out?" Lori asked him, the smile still visible as she folded her hands in her lap.

He nodded, "Rick said we might as well get goin' now 'fore it gets too late."

"You boys be careful out there." she told him, letting her smile falter slightly as he nodded again.

"Need anythin' else?" he asked, looking specifically at Heather, who instantly nodded.

"Rick mentioned you going to Shadydale?" she eyed him, making sure she had the right information.

He stepped into the room, aware that she would continue her question when he agreed. He tried to ignore Lori's gaze as he walked over to the bed where Heather was sitting. She reached under his pillow and pulled out a notebook.

"There's a bookstore in Shadydale," she said, moving over as he sat down on the edge of the bed, leaning over her to look at the notes she had, "It's not important by any means, but if you guys have time to stop, there's just a few books that I need."

"Need?" Daryl questioned, leaning back and letting out a breath.

She nodded this time, flipping through the notebook and pulling out a folded piece of paper. Daryl squinted as he took the paper from her, hesitating before he unfolded it. Whatever he thought had been on her list was pushed out of his mind as he read over the titles. _The Anatomy of Cesarean, Surgical Encyclopedia, Basic Surgical Prep. _He folded the paper back up and slipped it into the breast pocket of his coat.

"See what I can do." he muttered, understanding the importance of the books.

Lori was still looking at him, intrigued by the way he didn't flinch when Heather reached out to touch his arm. She had seen the man snap at people, even her, for getting too close to him and here he was, as close as he could be to the girl in the bed. It made him look domestic. She bit back her smile and looked to her lap, knowing Daryl wouldn't react kindly to the her stares. He never did.

"Also, chocolate." Heather added, getting Lori to look up at the odd request, "if you can. I know it's a long shot but some cravings never die."

Daryl stood from the bed, his trademark scowl covering the amusement that Lori was clearly showing. He was going to say something to show his irritation but then, the older woman was looking eagerly at him and he knew he would only be chastised for his actions. So he kept his mouth shut and nodded at her. He wouldn't find any but he would look. For her.

"Make sure she stays in bed," Daryl instructed Lori, turning back to her, "Don't need her hurtin' her ankle anymore. Won't listen to me, maybe she'll listen to you."

Lori smiled again at him and nodded. She saw him hesitate, his movements making it obvious he wasn't sure about leaving. Rick had told her, in one of their brief talks, what transpired between Heather and Carol and while she had predicted what the argument had been about, she was surprised to see Daryl handling it as well as he had been. She thought maybe she judged him too harshly since she'd known him, not taking into account that his brother was the only person he had and when he had been lost, Daryl was alone. She had a feeling that Heather was the only other person he had ever been comfortable around.

"Just make sure you come back." Lori said softly, seeing him nod from the corner of her eye.

"Shouldn't be gone more than a few hours." he told her, taking in a deep breath as Heather looked up at him.

"Be careful." she told him, as she always did whenever he left.

He felt himself tense up when he realized saying good bye to her in any other way was out of the question since Lori was in the room. Normally, he would attempt to kiss her, an act he still wasn't too comfortable with initiating. Other times he would simply touch her arm and that would be enough. Now he could only bite down on his lip and force himself to back out of the room. He caught a final glimpse of her, grinning, before he closed the door.

He breathed out and adjusted his bow over his shoulder, mentally preparing himself for the day that lay ahead. He didn't want to tell Rick that the storm was most likely going to hit sooner than they had expected, and getting back before dark was going to be a challenge. He had chalked it up to him being paranoid about venturing out so far, so he kept the theory to himself.

He made his way out to the car, hardly bothered by the fact that no one else was there. He always seemed to be the first one ready to go. He shoved his pack into the trunk, where the other ones had already been put. Glenn stepped outside just minutes later, bundled tightly in a coat, shotgun at his side.

"Rick said he'd be out in a minute," the younger man said as he got closer to the car, "Do you think we'll be gone long?"

Daryl shrugged, looking past Glenn to the front door, where T Dog was emerging.

"Shouldn't take but a few hours. So long as ya hurry an' get only what we need." Daryl told him, expecting a response.

When he got none, he only nodded to himself and waited for T to reach them.

"Ready?" he asked each of them, zipping up his coat as he opened the car door.

Daryl climbed up front, taking the passenger side as Glenn and T Dog got into the back. They only had to wait another minute before Rick came outside and got into the driver's seat. He didn't say anything to the them, his frustration rolling off in waves. Each of the men had seen him with his wife, arguing in hushed tones so as to not get the attention of anyone else.

The drive took about an hour, mainly because they had to stop every so often and move a car or a branch out of the way. They ignored the few walkers they had seen, not wanting to waste strength in case they would need it later. They reached the outskirts of the town slowly and pulled over to the side of the road. Rick got out first, pulling his gun out to check the ammo before he slid it into the waist band of his jeans. He moved around to the back of the car as the other three men got out and followed suit.

The trunk opened and Rick moved the packs aside, revealing a small pile of hand held weapons each of them could take. Daryl had his own hunting knife and his crossbow so he stepped back, allowing T and Glenn to pick what they wanted. He tried to ignore his annoyance when he saw Rick was holding Heather's machete, the weapon he had given her what felt like ages ago. His annoyance deepened when Glenn pulled out her bat.

"She even have anythin' to defend herself with anymore?" Daryl asked Rick as he stood beside him.

"She has a gun and a knife. She'll be fine." Rick assured him, nodding his head when T Dog grabbed a crowbar and stepped back.

Each of the men had brought an empty bag, which they all grabbed. Once they were all prepared, they began their descent into the town. It looked to be deserted, something they had gotten used to, but they could never be sure. Daryl held his crossbow up to eye level, scanning the streets around them as they walked quietly. Rick motioned for them to huddle around and keeping his voice low, he went over the plan again.

"Glenn and Daryl, you break left, T and I will go right. Keep quiet, get only what we need. Got it?"

They all nodded and separated into the groups. Rick looked at Daryl, keeping his face stoned. Daryl only raised his head, knowing that the look meant to keep an eye out on things. He had seen it more than once.

Glenn paced by Daryl's side, the bat raised up as they passed buildings. There were a lot of small restaurants, which struck Daryl as odd though he didn't say anything out loud. There was a post office, a dentists office and what looked like a travel agency. They turned a corner and saw three walkers who hadn't yet noticed them. Daryl moved forward, firing off a bolt as he said Glenn's name quietly. Glenn nodded and walked with him, raising the bat above his head once another walker dragged itself closer to them. He smashed it down, splitting the walker's skull down the middle as Daryl reloaded and pressed the trigger, taking out the last walker. He retrieved his two arrows and reconnected them to his crossbow.

"CVS." Glenn stated, pointing in the direction of the corner market.

"Good a place as any." Daryl agreed, straightening as they got to the doors.

The doors had been motion sensor before the end and now that the power was down, the doors no longer moved. Daryl sighed and held his bow out to Glenn, who hesitated before he took it. Daryl pushed his fingers in the space between the two doors and grasped it tightly before pulling. It squeaked as they parted and Glenn flinched at the sudden noise. The men stood there for a moment, waiting, before Daryl shrugged.

"Don't look like no one's here." he concluded, taking his bow back.

"Wait," Glenn shook his head, "Maybe you should make a noise or something."

Daryl fought all urges to tell him what a stupid idea it was, then winced and whistled quickly. They waited again and when Glenn was satisfied, he nodded and they made their way inside the building.

It had been looted already, as they expected it to be, but Daryl thought it might have been sometime near the beginning. There were still a few cans scattered across the floor, racks and displays knocked over.

"Don't stray too far." Daryl warned Glenn, who was already a few aisles away from him.

He heard Glenn mutter something in response, but ignored it as he walked towards the back. He slung the bag off his back and grabbed at the cans of food that were on the ground. He set his crossbow on the ground beside him, trying to sift through the empty packages and trash that littered the store. He smirked when he managed to find a few bags of peanuts and a bar of chocolate. He shoved the chocolate into the top pocket of his backpack and closed it, slinging it back onto his back.

He stood up and grabbed his bow, turning in the direction he had last seen Glenn, and stopped. He recognized the sound of someone- or something- dragging itself. It sounded like it was getting further away so Daryl crouched, his bow held up as he moved slowly down the aisle.

"Glenn?" he called out in a harsh whisper, hoping the Asian was close.

He didn't hear an answer as he moved quicker, calling out his name again. He nearly called out a third time when he heard a crash and Glenn call out. Daryl rushed forward, forgetting his own discretion as he followed Glenn's voice. He found him on the ground, breathing heavily as a walker lay next to him, a knife sticking from his skull. Daryl lowered his bow and shook his head.

"Ya alright?" he asked, holding his hand out.

Glenn nodded as he grasped Daryl's forearm and pulled himself up. He grabbed the handle of the knife and yanked it out of the head, black blood flowing freely from the wound. Glenn grimaced and wiped the knife off on his jeans.

"We should find the other two and get out of here." Glenn suggested, smiling nervously at Daryl.

"Got what we needed." he nodded, then remembered the list Heather had given him, "Ya see a bookstore at all?"

"Just down the street. We passed it coming here."

Daryl nodded again, "I gotta get somethin' before we go."

Glenn didn't question him, not having to be told that only one person in the group had time to read all the time.

"Let's make it quick then." he said, breathing in as Daryl led the way out of CVS.

The bookstore was chained from the outside, making Daryl not only frown but curse out loud. It was obvious the place hadn't been looted from the completely untouched windows. Heather had been right to send him there, she knew no one else cared about books when survival was being questioned.

"We could break one of the side windows and get in." Glenn proposed, shivering slightly when the wind picked up.

"Gonna be kinda loud."

"We either do it now or we go. You decide."

Daryl growled under his breath and stepped around Glenn, holding his breath as he turned around and smashed his elbow into the glass. It only cracked so he paused and rammed it again. It shattered, pieces falling inside the carpeted room, which quieted most of the glass. Daryl smoothed out the side panes of the window clear of glass before he climbed inside, stepping back so Glenn could jump inside.

They both stood solitary, again, waiting for any movement. There was none so Daryl advanced forward, pulling the list out of his breast pocket. He looked over the note through the dimly lit room and began searching the books while Glenn waited by the front doors for him. He managed to find two of them and he slid them into the backpack. He zipped up his pack then saw another book lying on the ground. _What to Expect When You're Expecting._ He frowned and hesitated before grabbing it and shoving it into the bag. He had just put his bag back on when Glenn whispered his name loudly.

Daryl perked up and looked around, seeing Glenn crouched down as he ran towards him.

"There's walkers outside. A bunch of them." he said, fear in his eyes.

Daryl froze, trying to think of a plan. The only way in was the window unless the walkers managed to get through the front door somehow. It was then, in the sudden moment of complete silence, that Daryl heard more glass breaking and he realized they didn't need to unlock the door to get inside. The walkers must have seen Glenn, making their motivation set in stone.

It would be only a matter of time before they were found.

They needed to find another way out.

* * *

**Sorry for the kind of cliffhanger but I have so many things that are going to be happening and instead of putting them in two or three chapters, I've decided to make them into even more.**

**I'll have the next chapter up most likely by the middle of next week.**

**Thank you everyone who still reviews this! I really love reading what you guys have to say!  
**

**One last note: I will be changing the rating to M sometime soon. :) So please watch out for that.**


	45. Chapter 45

The glass crunched beneath Daryl's body as he fell backwards through the window. He felt a burning pain as a piece cut through his back, tearing at the flesh beneath his shirt. The walker was now on top of him, snarling, trying to grab him with it's teeth. He looked around quickly, aware that he had no time to panic as he tried to hold the walker back.

Daryl felt his fear taking over, hearing a gunshot sound off from inside the building. His urge to get back inside drove him to hold the walker back with a steady strength. His free hand moved around his body, fingers scraping against the pavement as he tried to grasp anything.

Another gunshot.

He growled, taking in a deep breath of frustration. Another moment of struggled passed before he heard Rick yelling his name. A small rush of relieved breath escaped him as he turned his head to see Rick and T Dog running in his direction.

"No!" he yelled shaking his head, "Glenn's still inside! I got this."

Rick immediately turned to the building and disappeared inside, T Dog following after him. Daryl turned his attention back to the walker, worried that his struggle would capture the attention of other walkers.

His bow was too far away, having fallen from his grasp when he was attacked, so he opted for the glass that was surrounding him. He grabbed the biggest piece he could find and positioned his hand on the walkers chest, pushing it back as he clenched the glass in his fist and shoved it into the dead man's eye. Blood dripped from his hand as he pushed the walker away from him.

He rose to his feet, wincing at the pain in his side and ran to his bow. A shot sounded off from back inside the book store and Daryl tensed, not hesitating before he jumped back through the window he had fallen from. Glenn nearly ran past him, carrying both of their back packs as a dozen walkers stumbled after him. Rick and T were at the front of the store, taking them down one at a time.

"There's too many!" Rick called out, his voice full of distress.

Daryl shouldered his pack, knocking Glenn out of the way as another walker reached out for him. He grabbed his hunting knife and in one swift movement, slid it into the skull. He wiped the blade of his jeans and shook his head.

"Get to the car!" Daryl instructed, hoping the other two men would be able to hear him.

He heard Rick yell something back in response, he couldn't quite hear what it was, but from the tone he sounded like an agreement so he nudged Glenn's arm and made for the window. They were unable to stop and kill every walker that got in their way but Daryl found that they could kick them back, which allowed them more time to run past. Glenn climbed through the window first, looking around at the blood that had splashed along the pavement. The walker Daryl had killed was lying on the ground, black blood pooling around it's head while brighter, fresher blood stained the ground beside it.

"Are you alright?" Glenn asked Daryl once he was outside the building.

It took him a moment to realize why he asked, then he sniffed and nodded.

"Fine," he said, "Let's go."

The window behind them was suddenly filled with the bodies of the walkers, all of them trying to squeeze through the small opening. Daryl squinted at them, more annoyed now than he had been before, then turned on his heel and followed Glenn. They kept a steady pace as they followed the roads back to the town, dodging the seemingly endless stream of walkers that now inhabited the once abandoned town.

"Where are they all coming from?" Glenn wondered breathlessly as the car came into view.

Daryl shrugged, trying to ignore the burning pain from the cut he had on his back. He hadn't noticed it at first, the pain, but now it was all he could feel. He looked down at his side, pulling the torn fabric away. Blood was falling from a rather large cut, glass still imbedded in the wound. He winced again and let the fabric drop, taking in a deep breath.

"Dunno," he remarked, "Don't really wanna play Sherlock and figure it out. Let's just get to the car."

Glenn heard the crack in his voice, noticing how he looked to be breathing heavily.

"Is that your blood?" he asked, lowering his weapon as he took a step forward.

Daryl turned to him, still grimacing, "Some of it."

"Were you bit?" Glenn questioned, his tone quieting with shame.

He immediately regretted his words, taking a step back when Daryl turned and glared at him, his blue eyes cold as steel.

"I fell outa a window. Don't act like ya didn't see it." he muttered, taking a final stride to the back of the car, where he opened the trunk and threw his bag inside.

"Yeah," Glenn nodded, following suit as he tossed his in as well, "Sorry."

Daryl didn't answer. He was too focused on the shots he heard coming from the direction of the bookstore. They were getting closer, something that both set him at ease and made him even more nervous. He instinctively crouched down when he saw Rick and T round the corner, just a few feet ahead of a noticeably smaller group of walkers than had been before. He moved quickly, swinging the front door open before running in the other mens way. Rick tossed his back pack to Daryl, who caught it and turned back around, throwing it into the trunk and slamming it closed as Rick pulled the keys out of his pocket and the four men got into the car.

For the first ten minutes after leaving the town, complete silence echoed through the car. Daryl figured it was only a matter of time before Rick would ask what they were even doing in the bookstore, when their instructions were clear from the beginning. The only thing that was now making any noise was Rick's fingers tapping impatiently on the steering wheel.

"You alright?"

Daryl looked up, nodding once when he saw Rick was looking at him through the rear view mirror. His eyes were narrowed, concern and irritation both present in the hard blue. Rick nodded as well, turning his attention back to the road.

"Did we get everything we needed?" Rick spoke up again, the silence obviously making him more uncomfortable than Glenn.

"We were getting surgical books." Glenn said suddenly, turning slowly to see if Daryl was glaring again.

He was, and Glenn tried to force a small, apologetic smile. No one had to say anything after that. Only two people read all the time; Hershel and Heather. And it became obvious to Rick why the books were needed after Glenn told him what they went to the bookstore for.

"See Hershel when we get back. Have him clean that up." Rick instructed Daryl, looking at him once again, "Is it bad?"

Daryl shrugged, turning slightly to pull the tatters of his shirt up again. He hissed in from the sudden pain, gritting his teeth together. He ran his fingers along the wound lightly, feeling the bits of glass still wedged in his flesh. Along the corners there was a dark, almost black blood that caused Daryl to gulp. He met Rick's eyes through the mirror again, a tremble controlling his body. He didn't say anything, simply understood the way Daryl's eyebrows furrowed in worry at not knowing.

The thing that got to Daryl, the one thing that no one would ever know, was how exactly a walker's blood would affect them. He knew that they all carried whatever it was that made people come back and he knew that if you died, no matter how, short of a head shot, you were going to come back. None of them knew what getting walker blood in a wound would do to them.

He seemed to drive faster after that, his foot pressed almost all the way to the floor of the car. Once the hotel was in view, covered in snow and looking a bit depressing, the car slowed and the men began to breathe again. They got out and grabbed their bags out of the trunk, taking their time as the door to the hotel opened and Maggie looked out to them.

"It's about time," she smiled, "We were about to come looking for you."

"How did things go here?" Rick asked her, "Everything go ok?"

"Peachy. Carol's making dinner now, Carl's out back making rounds. We kept this place locked down."

Rick nodded at her, forcing a smile.

"Where's your dad?" T Dog asked her, stepping beside Rick as Daryl and Glenn stood behind him.

"He's with Heather, last I knew." she told them, looking past to see Daryl, covered in blood that was both his and not his, "What happened?"

"I'll tell you later." Glenn said, taking her wrist gently as he motioned with his head for her to follow him.

They filed into the building, setting their bags on the ground as Rick and Daryl headed for Heather's room, Daryl slowing in his step as they got closer to the room. The door opened and Heather looked up from her spot on the edge of the bed. Hershel was in front of her, holding her ankle in his hands as he looked it over. She noticed the tentative look on Rick's face, then saw Daryl behind him, head down.

"Can you take a look at Daryl?" Rick asked, avoided Heather's questioning glance.

Hershel breathed in and nodded his head, gently setting Heather's foot on the ground next to her other one.

"What'd you get yourself into this time, boy?" he asked as Daryl pushed past Rick.

"Fell out a window." he explained, wondering how many times he would have to tell people what happened.

The smile on Hershel's face was enough for Daryl to calm down as he sat down on the edge of the bed next to Heather. He felt her tilt her head up to look at him but he didn't want to explain to her that he had gone after her requests without thinking about what else could happen. He had made the group vulnerable simply by thinking of how excited she would get if he brought back the things she asked for.

"Heather, why don't you come with me?" Rick suggested, moving over to the bed, where he held his arm out for her, "I have something for you."

She hesitated, looking at Daryl once more before she nodded and grasped Rick's forearm firmly. She faltered slightly, using Daryl's shoulder as a support until she was standing up. Rick was slow with her, patient, as they exited the room. Once they were in the hall, away from everyone, he began to speak.

"Daryl and Glenn got trapped in the bookstore." he stated quietly, "You asked him to get those books, right?"

Heather felt herself nod, the sting of disappointment settling in her gut. She could have figured Rick would get upset about someone changing his plans.

"Just...thank you." he sighed, shaking his head.

"What?" she asked, confused at the sudden change in his demeanor.

He didn't look mad, or even upset. He looked. Relieved.

"Lori had to have a c-section with Carl." he said, "I know you needed those books for a reason, her being one of them. It's a lot easier having you around because you cover all the bases I wouldn't even think about.

"And I feel bad," he continued, pulling on her arm slightly as they walked down the hallway to the lobby, "I didn't mean to defend Carol, I was just trying to think of a reason why she is the way she is. You had every right to be upset and I made you feel like it wasn't legitimate."

She nodded, accepting his attempt at an apology. The one thing she absolutely adored about Rick, was that he could admit to her when he was wrong. After all the time they had spent together, he didn't seem embarrassed when she put him in his place.

"Is Daryl really hurt?" she asked him, wanting to change the subject away from Carol, who still hadn't made any attempt to confront her again.

"I think he'll be fine. He just got cut up pretty bad."

"Why did he look so nervous?"

Rick shrugged beside her, "He got cut up pretty bad. A walker attacked him."

Heather understood then, the fear that gripped Daryl's mind in the room behind her. She felt her stomach drop, her hands began to shake faintly and she could feel a cold sweat. The thought that Daryl could possibly die, could turn into one of those things before anyone else in the group...she breathed in deeply, trying to calm her sudden electric nerves. Rick noticed her internal panic and placed a hand on her back, reassuringly.

The lobby was empty, as it almost always was, and Rick left her leaned against the wall while he rummaged through his pack. What he pulled out, she hadn't expected. It was a small, plastic, ankle supporter boot. She had seen kids in her high school wear one whenever they had any kind of fracture in their ankle. She smiled as Rick held it out to her, as if he were waiting for her approval.

"It might be too big." he stated as he kneeled down in front of her and held it beside her foot, "We can always cut it though."

"It's been over a month now since I broke it, will it be ok for me to walk around with this?"

Rick moved his shoulders, frowning as he looked up at her, "Couldn't find any crutches. These will have to do. We can't wait until you're completely healed before we start training everyone. We can't wait that long."

Heather nodded, "I already have half a limp, a full one won't hurt."

She sat down on the ground next to Rick, wincing every few seconds as he slipped the boot on and carefully tried to tighten it. He was right, it was a bit too big, but after standing up, she noticed that the extra room actually helped her walk better. He stood next to her, his arm outstretched for support as she took a few steps.

"How does it feel?" he asked her.

"It's going to make my ankle sore again." she smiled at him despite the depressing words, "Thank you."

"Walk back to your room, see how Daryl's doing. I'll come get you when dinner's ready." he was smiling now, the strain long gone from his face.

She obeyed, taking small steps down the hall that led to her door. It was tiring and she would definitely have to practice walking again, but it was a new freedom now that she could venture throughout the hotel by herself.

She stood outside her room for a moment, surprised to find she was actually nervous to see Daryl, something she had never felt within the time they had known each other. She could remember always feeling either excited or expectant. After a lame, quiet knock, she entered the room.

Daryl sat on a wooden chair, straddling it, his shirt on the ground next to him as Hershel stitched up a large cut near his ribcage. He turned and looked at her, his face instantly turning red before he turned his head away and stared at the wall in front of him. The old man noticed her entry and beamed at her.

"Why don't you get that rag and clean up his hand. There's tweezers on the end table there." he pointed to the metal tool next to her small pile of books.

She limped over to to the bed, sitting down on the edge, right in front of Daryl. He kept his eyes away from hers as she reached for the rag and the tweezers. Without saying anything, he lifted his hand up, placing it in the palm of hers. The center of his hand had been sliced diagonally, some spots deeper than others, and when she began pulling the glass out, she could see that some of the shards were so deep, the blood didn't start pooling until she pulled them out.

They worked in silence, Hershel stitching up his back while Heather cleaned up his hand. Once Hershel was done, he gave orders to Daryl to take it easy for the night. He left the room then, taking the bloody rags and tweezers with him.

Daryl didn't move, he kept his body pressed against the chair as Heather stood up and carefully walked into the bathroom. After he knew she wouldn't be able to see him, he reached down on the ground and pulled up his shirt. He groaned when he realized it wouldn't be able to be worn again, at least, not until it was cleaned. He threw it back down in frustration and ran a hand down his face.

"Here," Heather said, handing him a couple pills.

He didn't question her, just took them and the bottle of water she handed him. When the water was gone, he set the bottle down on the table and finally looked at Heather. She was waiting, for an explanation he figured, even though he already knew Rick had told her what happened. She wanted to hear it from him. He couldn't find the words, only moving his shoulders in a weak shrug as she nodded.

"Are you alright?" she asked him quietly.

He felt a surge of annoyance, though he knew it wasn't her fault.

"Really wish people would stop askin' me that. Don't I look alright?" he argued, shaking his head.

She shook her head too, pressing her lips together.

"You don't." she told him, "You look scared."

"I ain't."

He saw a small, sarcastic smile stretch across her lips before it disappeared and she looked away from him. It was a lie, she could see through it and he could tell. It was then he realized it was becoming harder to hide himself from her. Just like him, she was able to observe people to figure them out. He bit down on his tongue.

He stood up from the bed, ignoring the way she turned to look at him. Ignoring the fact that his upper body was still bare and she could see him completely. She had seen him like this before, back at the farm, but now it wasn't dark in the room and she could actually see him.

She didn't say anything.

He left the room, his eyes clamped shut as he closed the door and let out a breath. His bag was in the lobby, with his clothes in it, so he headed in that direction, keeping his head down to avoid any stares he might get from the people in the group. He was thankful no one was around as he dug through his bag and found the cleanest shirt he could find. It still had it's sleeves and as he pulled it on, he welcomed the warmth.

He flipped his bag around and dug through the pockets, trying to remember where he had put the bar of chocolate. He wasn't able to get all the books she had wanted, but at least he got her the one vice she unwillingly gave up once the end came around. Daryl pulled the bar of chocolate out and pushed his bag against the wall, then sighed and made his way back to her room.

He knocked then opened the door, almost ashamed that he had left in such a hurry. He had to keep reminding himself that she never judged him. She was standing next to the bed, bent over as she looked at her new brace. She stood up straight as he closed the door behind him. He lingered by the door for a moment before walking over to her, looking at her as he handed her the bar of chocolate.

"Do I have a fever?" he asked her quietly, after she had taken the chocolate.

She was confused for a second before she reached her hand up and gently pressed it against his forehead. He couldn't admit out loud that he was actually scared, but he could confide in her that he wasn't alright, as he had been trying to assure everyone. Her hand was cool and it was shaking slightly as she shook her head, relief rolling off both of them in waves.

"Cool as a cucumber." she said with a small smile, looking down at the chocolate in her hand.

"Better share it with me." he sighed, scratching his cheek.

She smiled again, touching his arm lightly as she nodded. He instantly felt better, the lingering fear in his mind slowly starting to dissipate as he followed her over to the bed and sat down next to her. She opened the chocolate bar and took a piece off, placing it in his hand. He slipped the piece into his mouth and chewed slowly. He felt her scoot closer to him, leaning her head against his shoulder as she bit into the chocolate.

"Thank you." she said quietly.

Daryl nodded his head, gaining a bit of courage as he awkwardly placed his hand on her knee lightly, giving it a slightly squeeze.

"Welcome." he answered, keeping his hand in place.

* * *

**Ok, just so you guys have a sort of visual, I imagine Heather looking sort of like Kate Mara, except less angular. If that makes sense to you.**

**Also, sorry I'm so horrible at updating consistently. My life is insane right now but I promise I'm working really hard to get these chapters out for you guys.**

**As always, I really appreciate all the feedback I'm getting. Please keep it up! You guys are my life blood!**


	46. Chapter 46

**I made this chapter way longer than I normally make them as my way to apologize for taking so long. Plus, there's something to look forward to near the end. ;)**

* * *

She couldn't sleep.

There was a soft _ticking _noise echoing throughout the room as the battery operated table clock slowly spun the hours of the night away. Heather rolled onto her back, careful not to move too suddenly as Daryl adjusted himself next to her. His arm was thrown around her, his fingers digging into the grooves of her ribs. She had gotten used to this, how tightly he held on. Most nights his grip didn't slacken until he completely fell asleep, but this time, he continued his hold. She knew it was his fear that kept him so ridged.

They had eaten dinner together in silence, save for the few remarks he had made about how poorly the food was cooked. He had still been nervous about the prospect of an infection; she too wrapped in her own thoughts. She realized that showing how nervous she was, despite constantly touching him to find no fever, would make it more difficult for Daryl to try to ignore it.

After dinner, Daryl had taken the dishes back into the kitchen, collecting a few pain killers from Hershel while there. He took them and within the hour, he was curled up on the bed while Heather skimmed through one of the books he had gotten her. She tried falling asleep not too long after him and when that began to fail, she pulled his arm aside and sat up. It was close to two am and though she could tell nearly everyone else in the hotel was asleep, Heather got out of bed anyway, knowing there had to be at least one person out on watch.

She pulled her boot on, balancing herself against the bed as she tightened her ankle boot and slid her arms into the sleeves of her jacket. She twisted her hair into a loose bun at the nape of her neck, letting out a sigh when she heard the bed rustle behind her.

"What'er ya doin'?"

Heather turned around, a gasp catching in her throat at the sudden volume of his voice.

"I can't sleep." she told Daryl, stepping to the edge of the bed where he was now sitting up, "I was going to see who's out on watch."

He nodded at her, "Grab your machete."

She smiled and reached out, brushing her hand against his forehead for the millionth time that night. His flinch was hardly noticeable as he winced and looked away from her. There was still no fever.

"Take my coat." he instructed her, pointing his finger to the lump on the ground, "much warmer than yours."

Heather picked it up and pulled it on over her jacket, burying her nose into the shoulder of the fabric. His scent was eerily calming to her, soothing as she breathed it in.

"Watch your back." he mumbled, rubbing at his eye.

She nodded as he laid his head back down, closing his eyes again. The pain pill was still in full effect and she couldn't help but smile as he pulled the blanket over his head, leaving only bits of hair peeking out. She was again reminded of how easily he could have been taken away and she bit down nervously on her lip. Without a second thought, she leaned down, pulling the blanket down again as she quickly brushed her lips against his ear. He remained still while she covered his head back up, then grabbed her machete as she left the room.

The hotel was completely silent, the sounds of sleeping could be heard faintly throughout the halls. Heather followed the main hallway down to the lobby, where she hesitated only briefly. Rick was sitting on the small couch, his chin resting against his chest as he slept. She debated getting him a blanket but realized this was most likely the calmest sleep he'd had in awhile, so instead, she turned around the opposite way.

The main spot the group did watch was just on the side of the hotel. There was a small patio area where a vending machine once stood that allowed anyone on watch to potentially see all angles of the building without having to move around much. It was convenient and with the chairs T Dog had drug out there, it was even a little comfortable.

She wasn't surprised, but rather relieved, to see both T Dog and Maggie had made themselves at home on the pale, plastic chairs. They both looked up when she exited the building and smiled at her.

"You here to take over for us?" T questioned playfully, rising from his chair as he slid it over to her.

Heather grinned and took his place, shaking her head.

"Came out here to join you. Couldn't sleep." she explained, moving her eyes over to Maggie.

"Same here," Maggie was still smiling, "Feels like it's much colder in there than it is out here."

Heather had to agree, the rooms had taken the chill from outside and expanded it within the walls. She always hated the cold, but being from the north, she was used to it. She could tell from the multiple layers Maggie and T Dog wore that they weren't as accustom to the drop in temperature.

"How long have you guys been out here?" Heather asked them, watching the cloud of smoke fall past her lips.

"Couple hours." T Dog said, folding his arms across his chest, "Hershel has watch in the morning."

Heather only nodded, keeping her lips pressed together. The field behind the hotel looked like a barren wasteland. The snow littered the ground in patches and even in the darkness of the night, the moon cast enough light to see the shadows. It was still a bit terrifying, the street lights having stopped working months ago, their bodies still twisted and hollow along the sidewalks, and Heather felt herself shudder slightly. She could handle the cold, but the dark..the permanence of their life now, the reminder of how it used to be, that was something she didn't think she'd be able to get used to.

She stretched out her legs, rolling her good ankle as she cleared her throat.

"Man, this is gonna be a rough winter." T Dog shook his head, shifting his weight between his legs.

"It's not so bad," Heather looked back at him, "Winters where I'm from are so cold it hurts to laugh."

Maggie laughed lightly, "Where are you from anyway? Glenn and I have been trying to guess since you showed up at the farm."

Heather had to laugh as well as she looked to her hands. She knew Rick had asked her once what she did before the end and possibly even where she was from, but she never told him directly. She wasn't sure why she kept that information from him and she wasn't even sure why it was so hard to talk about it. The only person who knew was Daryl and she hadn't even told him. Her brother's wallet told him nearly everything.

"I was born in Kansas but my brother and I were raised on our grandparent's farm in North Dakota." she said quietly, keeping her eyes down.

"What part of North Dakota?" T Dog asked curiously, taking a step closer to hear her.

"Up by the border." she smiled lightly, taking in a deep breath.

She didn't like when the attention turned to her, which is why she avoided her own personal stories during certain conversations. It was then she realized that because of this anxiety, no one in the group knew much about her, aside from Daryl, and even then, the amount he knew was limited. It set her apart from anyone else and the thought made her a bit uncomfortable. Because of her nature, she would immediately risk her life to save other people, she just wasn't sure if they would react the same way. The thought scared her so, despite her own inability to reveal much about herself without getting uncomfortable, she continued.

"There's a small town called Devil's Lake, my grandparent's bought a dairy farm a few miles outside of it when they first got married. There isn't much out there, mostly other lakes, which is why James and I didn't see it until we were older." Heather stopped, looking up to see Maggie and T Dog were both watching her with interest, waiting for her to go on.

"Why did you move up there?" Maggie wondered, leaning against the arm of her chair.

"Uh," Heather sighed, looking away again, "My parent's died and we had no other relatives."

Maggie looked apologetic as she winced and frowned but Heather only shook her head. There was a pause between the three of them. It wasn't awkward at all, but Heather wasn't sure if she keep talking, or allow one of them to say something. They both knew she was never up for too much talking, even the time they had spent with her in her room, they had mostly played card games or when they did talk, the topic was always either what they were going to do as a group, or what Heather had been planning.

T Dog moved from his spot by the wall, holding his rifle against the side of his body as he squinted into the darkness. Maggie had a gun in her lap and her own machete on the ground by her feet.

"I'm gonna check around the building quick." T said to them, finding the pause in conversation a good checking point.

"Be careful." Maggie told him, "Yell if you need us."

T nodded once and made his way along the side of the building. Heather and Maggie sat in silence still, their breathing the only thing heard as they both looked into the darkness. After a few minutes, Maggie turned to Heather, her eyebrows knit together in concern.

"Is Daryl ok? Glenn told me what happened. He's pretty shook up about it."

Heather felt herself frown, not having thought about Daryl's condition since she'd been outside. Instantly, her stomach dropped and she could only shrug.

"I think so," she sighed, "He doesn't have a fever and so far that cut isn't infected...but it hasn't even been a day yet. Your dad wanted me to keep an eye on him just in case."

Maggie smiled at her, "He's lucky to have someone like you."

"Anyone here would look after him." Heather reminded her, raising her eyebrows.

"True, but I hardly think Daryl Dixon would share a bed with anyone else."

Heather felt her cheeks flare as she looked away from Maggie, who couldn't help the grin when she saw the reaction. Heather knew she was just messing around so she didn't let it get to her. Maggie was younger than her and she could tell that gossiping had been something she and other girls would have a lot of fun doing. Heather had rarely taken part in the act but she could see why it was appealing to other people.

"I heard Carol talking the other day about how she felt like Daryl's mother half the time," Maggie continued, catching Heather's attention at the mention of the woman, "which I thought was funny because she clearly is jealous that he pays attention to you and not her."

"Clearly?" Heather interrupted, curious at the turn in Maggie's words.

Maggie nodded her head quickly, as if she couldn't make it anymore so.

"Oh yeah," she smiled, "When the group first came to our farm, I noticed that Carol used to follow Daryl around everywhere, always asking him what he needed and trying to take care of him. He always just kinda brushed her off. Then after you two went hunting that first time, he started following you around and she stepped back from him. She just glares now."

Heather wanted to ask her more, like how had she noticed these things when Heather wasn't even aware? Maggie seemed to notice her want for more.

"I pay attention to things, whether they involve me or not," Maggie explained to Heather, "Not a lot was happening on the farm and with everyone so close, it was hard not to pay attention to how everyone interacted. I don't tell anyone what I see, but I figured since you and Carol already got into it, it wouldn't hurt for you to know. Besides, everyone's on your side anyway."

Heather breathed in, turning her gaze to the fields again. She realized that with Maggie, she had someone she could talk to openly without worrying about the ramifications. She always had Lori, but she knew if she opened up completely to her, parts would be passed onto Rick.

"Has Carol said anything else?" Heather asked the other woman carefully.

Maggie shook her head, "We know that you two got into an argument but she won't tell anyone what was said. Lori's asked her a few times but she clammed up after Daryl yelled at her."

Heather turned back to Maggie. She hadn't heard that part.

"I guess he didn't really yell," Maggie sighed, shaking her head, "He told her to stay out of his business in his usual unfriendly tone."

"Sounds like something he would say." Heather agreed, trying to hide her small smile at the thought.

"Did she say something about him?" Maggie asked, "What started it?"

Heather sighed again, not wanting to relive the entire fight though it hadn't been a rough one. She had told both Rick and Daryl what happened and she felt like that was enough but with Maggie's endless patience and desire to know her better, Heather couldn't not answer her.

"She thinks I'm going to get him killed." Heather said, "I think she's just in love with him and she can't accept that he doesn't see her that way."

Maggie nodded, biting down on her bottom lip.

"When you didn't show up back at the highway, he almost lost it." Heather paused in her chair, breathing in as Maggie told her what happened, "He was going to go back for you and when Rick said it was too dangerous, he wouldn't leave unless we left something for you to find us. We all take care of each other, we have to look out for each other. But Daryl...I think he only sees you.

"If there's one thing I've learned about him since knowing this group, it's that he would protect anyone here without question. You're special to him, I know that...we all know that. And if he were to fail in protecting you, it would kill him. He wouldn't react that way with Carol."

Whatever thoughts Heather had before she came outside, whatever doubts she played with in her mind, they all disappeared. She had thought to herself recently that the trying relationship she had with Daryl was certainly one sided, on her part. He made it clear he cared for her and she couldn't deny it when he came to her bed every night. But she had always felt she put in more than he did.

With Maggie's words, she realized she was wrong.

Daryl was a different breed of human and she couldn't expect him to act as she knew other men acted. He may not have shown her physically or even emotionally that he cared, but she could now see that his insecurities seemed to be leaving him the longer he was with her. That was enough for her to know he put in just as much as she did.

"You really put things into perspective." Heather looked over at Maggie, who was grinning at her with wide eyes.

"I try to help in any way I can." she continued grinning.

Heather tilted her head, burying her nose in the shoulder of Daryl's coat again. She felt a knot in her stomach, wanting only to go back to the room even if she couldn't sleep. She waited until she saw T Dog rounding the corner of the building before she rose to her feet.

"Thank you, Maggie." Heather told her, offering a smile as Maggie nodded.

"Anytime." she said and Heather could see that she was being genuine.

The building was still flushed with a cold wind but the sounds of sleeping could no longer be heard as Heather limped her way slowly back to the room. Her mind was racing with everything Maggie had said to her, the truths that she had refused to see until someone pointed them out to her.

She was surviving the best she could.

Daryl saw to it that she didn't have to survive alone.

She entered the room slowly, wanting to wake Daryl but at the same time remembering he had to heal still. He didn't move as she closed the door and kicked her boots off. She removed his coat and her jacket, letting them fall to the ground, then crawled in the bed.

Daryl opened his eyes as she positioned herself next to him, pulling the blanket up. She had been gone a couple hours, and she realized when she turned to look at him, that she actually felt a small ounce of excitement. He was looking at her, his eyes blinking sleepily as he stifled a yawn.

Heather scooted closer to him, using the cold as an excuse to be near him though she knew she didn't need any excuses. He covered his mouth as he yawned, then lightly slung his arm around her. She smiled to herself and leaned her head in, pressing her forehead against the front of his neck.

She could hear the way his heart sped up whenever she moved, whether it was her hand or her foot. She pushed her hand against his abdomen, gripping onto the fabric of his shirt tightly as he breathed in.

"Hands're cold." he muttered against the top of her head, his voice muffled by her hair.

"It's cold outside." she smiled again, her voice quiet.

He grunted and reached between them, taking her hand in his. She pulled back slightly, lifting her eyes up to meet his. He watched her as he slid his other arm from beneath him and held both of her small hands in his.

"Shoulda worn some gloves." he told her, keeping his tone as gentle as he could.

Heather felt her heart swell at his concern and before she could even think, she leaned in, closing the space between them, and pressed his lips against his. His body tensed, as it almost always did, but he gripped her hands tighter and pulled her closer to him.

It was a simple kiss, meant to be just a peck, but she found she didn't want to pull away. She kissed him again, noticing how his body relaxed just briefly before it tensed again and he kissed her back. She pulled one of her hands from his grasp and moved it up, resting it on the side of his neck.

She deepened the kiss this time, an unknown burst of bravery escaping her as she pressed against him. Normally she was patient with him, figuring nothing would happen between them unless he initiated it. She discovered that she had been wrong about that as well and after waiting patiently for him to come around, she knew she was the one who would have to make the first move.

They kissed for a few minutes, taking their time as Daryl tried to contain himself. He was sure that his inexperience with making out halted any other ideas she might have had. He felt blind as the tip of her tongue touched his lightly and all he could do was hold onto her. His mind nearly went blank when her teeth nipped at his bottom lip.

He noticed he was shaking as she pulled her head away slightly, pressing her lips together as she looked up at him. Her eyes were wide and even through the dark, he could see how brightly the green was flashing. Her chest was heaving as much as his was and it only took him a moment to realize she had stopped kissing him because she didn't know if there was a chance it could go further.

Daryl felt himself nod once before she leaned back in and kissed him again. This time, he took no hesitation before he kissed her back, using his nervousness as his strength while he parted his lips. He breathed in before he finally let go of her hand and moved his own to the side of her face, pulling her closer.

He tried to focus on the way she kissed him, the way she seemed to use every part of her mouth to explore his, but the second her hand trailed to his chest and her fingers brushed against his collarbone, something inside of him snapped. He moved suddenly, staying connected to her as he pushed against her onto her back and moved himself on top of her.

Her hands moved to his shoulders, which she held onto tightly as he pulled away again. He couldn't look at her, knowing that he would panic, so he moved his lips to her jaw where he kissed lightly down to her neck. She tilted her head up, allowing him to find more flesh as he continued.

Daryl was surprised when he realized she was shaking just as badly as he was and when he moved back to her lips, he could understand that this was the most physical they had been together. It scared him but at the same time, he felt giddy.

She moved against him, her fingers getting caught in his hair, then trailing to his chest. He paused in the kiss as her fingers went to the buttons of his shirt.

"It's ok." she whispered to him, breathless.

He nodded, licking his bottom lip, then kept still as she unbuttoned his shirt. She slid it off him, her hands touching his bare arms as he was left in his tank top. She pulled him back to her, pressing her lips against his with a new sense of urgency. He felt the change in the room and pushed away all his insecurities about kissing and just went with it.

The cold didn't seem to bother either of them as they moved on top of the bed, their limbs tangled as their making out turned to the most intimate touching Daryl had ever taken part in. She pushed him back to a kneeling position as she sat up in front of him, meeting his eyes before she removed her own shirt. He looked down at her, breathing heavily before he grabbed at her again, a sense of lust he had also never experienced. He couldn't remember a time he had wanted something so badly.

Her skin was soft as he tried to feel it all, his fingers grasping numbly at her ribs, her waist. She had begun making small noises, little moans of pleasure every time his lips connected with her neck or her collarbone and the more Daryl tried to concentrate on what was happening before him, the more he discovered he got lost. He could feel himself growing hard and he knew she could feel it too, pressed between her thighs as he pulled her back up and reached behind her. He clawed at her bra, frustration taking over as he felt her smile against him. She twisted her arms behind her and her hands took the place of his as she unclasped her bra and removed it.

He only paused for a second before she grabbed the hem of his tank top in her fingers and looked at him, waiting for his approval before she pulled it up and over his head. He saw her glance at his chest, at the scars that paralyzed him in fear. He almost thought to turn and run before she leaned forward again, brushing her lips against the curve of his neck. He stilled, his eyes closing involuntarily at the heat of her breath. He felt her hands move along his chest, her fingertips light as they touched every curve from his ribcage, they felt every scar.

He felt like he was gasping for air suddenly, the burning in his gut growing as her hand met the waist of his jeans. Her lips were faint against his jawline and before he could think, he shakily unbuttoned his pants. Heather looked up at him, her eyes willing his to open. She reached her hand down slowly, disappearing beneath the fabric. His lips parted slightly as she grasped him in her hand, her own lips trembling before she licked them.

Daryl closed his eyes again, feeling lost as she moved her hand. He could only lean forward, burying his face into the side of her neck. He didn't want to feel her eyes on him while she touched him. He heard a quiet moan and it took him a minute to realize that he was the one who had made it. The intensity grew and before he could tell her to stop she pressed her lips against his neck and he lost himself.

Her hand stopped moving as he breathed heavily, embarrassment immediately overcoming any other feeling. He thought he should have been relieved, but the thought of how quickly he had finished, with her barely having to touch him...he shook his head and pushed himself away from her. She pulled the blanket up, wiping her hand in her shirt. He swung his legs over the edge of the bed, still trying to catch his breathing as he grabbed his tank top and pulled it back on.

There was a silence between them as Daryl handed her his plaid shirt, aware that she had used her own to clean up his mess. Shame filled him this time.

He looked back at her, wincing as she buttoned the shirt. She was looking at him, her eyebrows knit together in hidden concern. He turned away, buttoning his pants back up before he stood and grabbed his coat off the ground. He wanted to leave, to hide.

Daryl paused by the door, picking up his bow that rested by the door frame. Heather was sitting on the bed, completely still and instantly, he felt horrible. She appeared to think she had done something wrong, her face still flushed as she kept her eyes cast down. He took the few steps it took to get to the bed and leaned down quickly, kissing the side of her head.

"I'll be back." he said quietly, his voice shaky as she nodded.

He paused again, grimacing as he waited for what was left of him to return to normal. When his jeans no longer felt strained, he left the room.

* * *

**Now, this was the chapter I was going to make the change to M for, but, I just recently read a few Norman interviews where he explains how he thinks Daryl would be in a romantic situation. I found that while I wanted to make him the stud that he is, I agree with Norman's take. I feel like Daryl would hardly be the one to make the first move so I had to change a few things.**

**Hopefully you guys enjoyed it because it was very difficult for me to write. Love scenes are not easy and I applaud anyone who can do it well.**

**Don't forget to leave your thoughts with me!**


	47. Chapter 47

The sun was finally up by the time Daryl moved from the chair. He rubbed at the back of his neck, the strain from sitting for so long putting an ache in his muscles. His side throbbed where the skin had pulled tight around the wound and as he rose to his feet, he found that his entire body was screaming at him.

He hadn't been able to go back into the room, too many familiar emotions kept him from finding his place in bed next to Heather. He was still embarrassed, not wanting to face her yet but he knew the more he thought about things, the worse his mind would get. The only time he ever felt content anymore was with her.

Daryl huffed to himself and shouldered his cross bow, pushing the chair out of his way. He walked to the door, pausing as his hand gripped the cold metal knob. The room he had been sitting in was bare except for the one chair he had pulled in with him. It wasn't comforting to be in yet he couldn't make himself leave. It was nearly freezing and it had seemed to get colder as he sat by the window, watching the light snow fall.

His mind was so warped he made himself believe this cold, empty room was more suiting for him than being with her, warm. Happy.

Daryl winced.

He would always struggle, he figured, no matter how close they got. He could find every reason in the world to stay away from her, to close himself off from their growing relationship. But when he got down to it, when he really thought about it, he discovered the cold hard truth was he didn't want to stay away from her. He wanted to pull her closer and let her see all of him. Every little part of himself he kept hidden inside himself.

He just didn't know how.

"Pussy." he muttered to himself, shaking his head as he twisted the door knob and forced himself out of the room.

The hotel was quiet still but Daryl could hear the noises of movement echoing throughout the halls. He guessed everyone was getting ready to eat breakfast. His stomach nearly growled when he thought of the pancakes he knew would be made. They didn't have syrup and no one knew how long the box had been sitting around, but no one thought to complain about the fact.

He sped up a bit, keeping his head down as he walked through the kitchen, where Lori and Carol were, straight to the lobby. Rick was sitting on the couch still, his legs stretched in front of him as he yawned and looked up to Daryl.

"You up to go hunting today?" Rick asked, standing to his feet as he pulled his coat on, "We're running pretty low on food and if the weather keeps up, I'm not sure when we'll be able to go out again."

Daryl shrugged, unable to tell Rick his entire body felt like he'd been run over by a truck. The other man seemed to sense at least a small amount of his pain because he nodded and ran a hand over his face.

"Let's eat first, then we'll figure something out." Rick suggested, nodding his head.

Daryl silently agreed and followed him into the waiting room they had made into a dining room. There was already food placed upon the table; pancakes, a few bowls of fruit and some bottles of water. It was small but they had all gotten used to eating smaller portions.

Slowly, the group began filtering into the room and sitting down at the table. Daryl took the end of the table that was furthest away from everyone, the place he had taken before he started eating in the room. He set his bow down on the ground by his feet and pulled the chair out. When he looked up from his spot, he saw that Heather was sitting on the opposite side of the table, already tearing into a pancake as she kept her eyes down.

She was still wearing his shirt, the plaid collar visible beneath her coat. He felt himself smile slightly, his pride swelling as she ate her pancake with her fingers. She looked up at him and smiled, her eyes catching his. Then he saw the bruises on her neck. They were faint, a subtle reminder that he had had no idea what he was doing. His heart suddenly picked up speed and he reached up to touch the side of his neck. She seemed to understand the action as she frowned, mouthing, _sorry _to him before she lifted the collar of the shirt up, covering the marks.

Daryl looked back down to his plate of food, uneasy at all the self realizations. He didn't like people knowing his business, didn't want to give people more reasons to look down on him. But with such a small, tight knit group, he was learning that it would be difficult to keep anything a secret. He wasn't prepared for the others to talk to him about his relationship with Heather, though he knew it would eventually come around. None of them ever minded their own business.

He sighed to himself, picking up his fork as Rick took his place next to him. He began talking, telling the group of the plans for the day and what everyone should do to keep busy. Rick would be taking a handful of people out back where they would practice shooting the guns. The people not practicing would have to split the chores at the hotel. Rick had already chosen the groups carefully, remembering that not everyone got along too well. Daryl looked to Heather at Rick's words, watching her smirk before he turned to Carol, who sat completely still in her seat.

Rick and Heather would take Lori, Beth, and Carl first, knowing those three had the least experience. Daryl and Glenn would take Carol and Maggie. T Dog would accompany them in case they needed help with anything. Hershel had opted to stay back in the hotel, already knowing how to use a weapon. He figured he could catch up on his reading.

When Daryl looked back up at Heather, he saw that she was no longer smirking and instead, was biting down on her lip. He knew her well enough to realize she did that whenever she didn't like something. He thought better than to flatter himself by thinking she was jealous Carol was part of his group.

"We'll start with the handguns today and in a few days, depending on how well everyone does, we'll switch to the rifles." Rick told them, "We'll take it slow."

"Don't you think we'll run out of ammo?" Beth spoke up, her voice timid as she looked nervously at Rick. Daryl had only ever seen that look on her face; always looking scared and unsure.

Rick sighed and shrugged his shoulders.

"We have plenty for now and once the snow melts a bit or at least slows down, Daryl and I will go look for more." he said, specifically looking at Beth, as if to ease her fears.

She didn't question him again, turning back to her food. They finished eating, few words being passed between them. Once the table was cleared and everyone got their coats and boots on, the first group went out.

Daryl stayed by the back window, checking on them every so often. Glenn and Maggie took the time to take watch, promising they would pay attention; T Dog went back and forth from the first group to making rounds. There wasn't much to do but they all tried to stay busy.

After an hour, Daryl noted that the cold had turned Heather's cheeks a light pink and the others looked to be shivering yet they stayed out. He felt a pull in his stomach when he saw her laughing, her eyes squinted at the ferocity of the smile as she pushed Rick's arm. He was smiling as well, his laugh much softer than hers though anyone could see it. It was only a matter of seconds before the other three began laughing and Daryl suddenly found himself jealous, wishing he could be out there with her.

"You think they're almost done?"

Daryl jumped, not hearing T behind him. He turned around and scowled, breathing in heavily.

"Man, I don't know." he mumbled, "Ain't gonna learn how to shoot a gun in a hour."

T Dog nodded and looked past him, out the window.

"With her teaching them, I'm surprised they aren't done already." he commented, his voice easy as he smiled.

Daryl groaned internally, already knowing where he could be taking the conversation.

"What's that supposed to mean?" he found himself asking, despite him already knowing.

"That girl's real smart. She could teach you how to speak another language and you wouldn't even know until you were having a conversation with her in it." he was shaking his head, still smiling, "All I'm saying is, it's a good thing Rick waited until he found that boot."

Daryl didn't respond, hoping his silence would be enough for T Dog to want to leave. It almost had the opposite effect on him as he stepped closer to the window.

"Do you think this is a good idea?" T finally asked, turning to look at him.

He didn't understand the question at first as he squinted and met his eyes.

"With all the gunshots...I was thinking it might attract some unwanted attention." he explained, turning back to the window, "That's why I've been walking around the building. Something doesn't feel right."

The gunshots continued echoing and Daryl winced again. He could understand why T Dog was so uneasy, but a part of him felt like he was overreacting. If anything was to happen, they would see it coming.

"I wouldn't worry 'bout it now. You're bein' too paranoid." Daryl shook his head, also feeling the sting of paranoia as T Dog kept silent and nodded.

They waited for the group to be finished before T went in search of Carol. Daryl stood by the back door, holding it open as they trickled into the building. Lori and Beth went in first, followed by Rick and Carl. Heather was the last one, taking her time as she limped through the doorway. Daryl could see the strain on her face as she let out a small breath.

"Leg doin' alright?" he asked her, remembering her ankle was still technically broken, they were just working around it.

She nodded and looked up at him, "Yeah, just hurts to stand for too long."

He wasn't sure what to say to her, now that she was in front of him. He had been meaning to explain himself to her at least but the words got caught in his throat. He was getting embarrassed again as he tried to keep his breathing calm and his legs still. Without another thought, he reached his hand up but paused briefly before moving the collar of her shirt away from her neck. Up close, he saw tiny bruises where his teeth had unknowingly sunk into her flesh. He couldn't remember using his teeth at all and instantly, his embarrassment came back as he let go of the fabric.

There was nothing he could say to her that would fully explain why he was the way he was and there was nothing she could say to him that would make him feel better about that.

He flexed his hand and grasped his bow, turning around on his foot. He took a step forward, intent on walking away. Before he could take another step, he felt Heather's hand grasp his bicep and she pulled on him. He turned back around and looked at her, taken aback by the hint of anger in her eyes.

"Quit walking away from me." she spoke under her voice, letting go of his arm, "You can't...you can't walk away every time you get uncomfortable and expect me to figure it out by myself. That's not how things work."

Daryl looked away from her, aware at how right she was. He cursed his insecurities again, knowing that if he could just talk to her, she wouldn't have to get angry. His body tensed at the change in her demeanor. He had never seen her with so much bitterness on her face.

She was looking at him, waiting for him to respond. He didn't know how, he could only shrug his shoulders.

"Do you want this...us?" she asked him, her voice softening when he lifted his eyes to her.

He stopped thinking and nodded his head once, "I just...don't know what to do. Don't know how this works."

"You said you'd figure things out as they happen," she paused, waiting for him to nod again before she nodded as well, "you can talk to me about things. You don't have to leave whenever you start thinking too much. That's how you figure things out. You...talk about them."

He nodded again, chewing lightly at the skin on this thumb. He was strangely calm at the realization that he would do that because she wanted it. He didn't even have to think about it.

There was more to say, Daryl wasn't an idiot, but he knew it would have to wait until they were alone. He didn't know if he was ready for that kind of conversation, but Heather was right. He wanted her, he wanted to keep the relationship between them intact. He would have to talk to her.

"Wanna take watch with me tonight?" he asked her, moving his hand to the side of his neck in an attempt to appear calmer than he suddenly felt.

"Glenn has it with you." she reminded him, shifting the weight between her feet.

"I'll tell 'im to get lost. You'll still have time to get plenty of sleep." he told her.

She hesitated before she nodded, taking in a deep breath. He thought she appeared a bit weary, maybe even just exhausted. It wasn't hard to remember she was running on very little sleep and a spent ankle.

"You should go rest now that way you'll be able to take watch with me." he suggested, watching as she shook her head.

"Let Rick know I'll be laying down?" she asked him.

She started walking past him and down the hall to her room and Daryl felt himself on the verge of panicking. He didn't feel right, like something more needed to be done.

"Wait." he called out to Heather, who turned around, her eyebrows raised in question. He walked over to her and without hesitation, reached down and pulled her into a hug. He paid attention to the way she slid her arms around his shoulders and held onto him tightly. He sighed into her neck, "Sorry."

She didn't question what he was apologizing for, she simply accepted it and pulled away. She rose on her tip toes and pressed her lips against the corner of his mouth, holding it for a moment as he dug his fingers into her waist. He turned his head, catching her lips against his. It lasted just a second, but when she stepped back from him, he could feel his heart racing.

"I'll see you tonight." she said, her smile small before she disappeared down the hallway.

* * *

**Next up we'll have some finality with the Carol situation, a horde, yet another step in the relationship between Heather and Daryl, and the loss of a character.**


	48. Chapter 48

The room was cold, a gentle breeze blowing through the confines of the barren room. It was silent. The usual sounds of people scurrying throughout the halls of the hotel were absent. Even the wind seemed to lose it's voice as it weaved around her.

Heather slipped out of the bed, placing her feet on the ground. Her ankle no longer throbbed from remaining on it for too long and her mind felt refreshed, yet still she couldn't help but feel something was amiss. She stood from the bed and grabbed her machete off the ground, strapping it to her waist as she crept out of the room.

The hallway to the lobby was vacant and as she walked slowly, one foot in front of the other. The silence followed her to the lobby where she noticed things were strewn across the ground and the lamp that Rick kept next to the couch was shattered. Heather's hands began to tremble as she instinctively touched the machete.

She went through the lobby, checking around the couch for anything. Anyone. Her heart started racing when she realized no one was around. She stopped suddenly, crouching low to the ground when she heard a crash come from the kitchen. She swallowed, unstrapping the machete while she tried to calm down.

After taking a few intakes of breath, Heather made her way to the kitchen. She slowed, noticing a puddle of fresh blood beneath the crack of the door. Stepping around it, she peered through the window on the door, trying to see inside but the darkness within made it impossible to see anything. Hand on the door, she pushed it open. Her breath caught in her throat and her hand dropped to her side.

Daryl lay on the ground, his face torn apart by the walker that was kneeling beside him, elbow deep inside his stomach. The crossbow was laying abandoned by his feet and Heather covered her mouth, stifling the sobs that racked her frame. She couldn't force herself to look away, not wanting to believe what she was seeing. His arm was stretched out in her direction, a knife held loosely in his dead grasp, his eyes closed. The walker was forgotten as she dropped to her knees, her chest caving in.

"Daryl," she choked out pathetically.

His eyes snapped open, his pupils fixed, the blue as icy as his gaze. She fell backwards onto her butt, gasping as his hand closed around the knife again.

"I couldn't save ya." he said to her, his voice a tone she had never heard before. Angry. Upset. _Broken._

He pulled the knife up, gritting his teeth before he stabbed it into the linoleum floor and gripped the handle. Heather was shaking, scooting back slowly as Daryl used the knife to drag himself forward. The walker stopped moving, his arms solitary as Daryl's intestines fell from his body.

"I can't save ya." he said again, this time the only emotion she could hear was anger.

Heather kicked at Daryl's outreached hand as she frantically pushed herself backwards, not able to find enough strength to stand. She bumped into something solid, almost too scared to look up when blood dripped onto the fabric of her jeans. She lifted her head up and felt her blood turn to ice. Rick stood wavering in the doorway, blood still falling from a wound that nearly decapitated him. He looked down to her, his eyes unfocused.

"You're dead." he whispered before he reached out to her.

Heather screamed, pulling away from the arms that encircled her from behind. She closed her eyes just as Rick's blood covered mouth inched closer.

She sat up. Her breathing was labored and tears coated her sweat drenched face. She looked around frantically, trying to convince herself it had just been a dream. She buried her face in her hands, letting out the few remaining tears before she wiped at her eyes and pulled herself out of the bed.

Her clothes were still on, shoes and all, so she grabbed her machete and left the room. She paused in the hallway, listening for sounds. She breathed out in relief whens he heard faint noises of laughter coming from down the hall. She was quick as she walked to the lobby, another sigh of relief when she saw Rick on the couch, reading the book she had given him. He looked up and smiled her.

"Was wondering when you'd be awake. How'd you sleep?" he asked, patting the spot next to him.

She scoffed at him and sat down, her heartbeat finally returning to normal. She only had to shake her head for him to understand and he didn't ask again.

"Where's Daryl?" she questioned quietly, still unsettled by his absence.

"He went hunting a few hours ago. He should be back anytime now, I'd think." Rick shrugged at her, turning his head back to his book, "Why'd you want me to read this one?"

She looked at it. _Tender is the Night _by F. Scott Fitzgerald. She loved well written novels and so far, he had been the only author she'd completely fallen in love with.

"It has some of the best advice if you know where to look." she explained to him, watching how he nodded, furrowing his eyebrows in concentration.

Heather reached over and took the book from his yielding hands. She flipped through a few pages and handed it back to him, pointing to a small paragraph.

"Now, human respect—you don't call a man a coward or a liar lightly, but if you spend your life sparing people's feelings and feeding their vanity, you get so you can't distinguish what should be respected in them." Rick read aloud, nodding his head again.

"You can learn a lot from a book." she pressed her lips together in an odd, forced smile.

"I guess with all the time we have now, I'll have to start reading more." he smiled back, closing the book.

"I have plenty of books." Heather stated, turning her head to the window by the door.

There was a crash in the kitchen and for a moment, she felt like she was back in her dream. She closed her eyes and breathed in deeply, pushing the scene from her head again.

"Will you tell Daryl to come find me when he gets back?" she asked, turning her head back to Rick, who nodded at her.

"Everything ok?" he wondered, his voice softening as she rose to her feet.

"Yeah," she smiled again, "I just had a really weird dream and he kinda...helps with that."

He sent her off with the promise to inform Daryl and without a pause, she made her way back to her room. She made herself comfortable as she could in the chair and leafed through the Cesarian book, trying to retain anything she was reading. After a few minutes of unsuccessful studying, she tossed the book to the ground and began pacing.

She didn't enjoy the way she craved Daryl's presence. There were instances when she believed he craved hers as well but she knew he would never be so open about it. He made it clear he wanted to be with her, as much as he could be, and she was more than ok with taking baby steps.

His many emotions, however, she would still have to get used to. He could deny feeling anything other than annoyance and irritation but she, knowing him better than anyone in the group, knew he was capable of feelings she couldn't even name. He was insecure, as always, and he was his own worst enemy. The worst part for her to see, the saddest in her mind, was that he already accepted these flaws and didn't think there was anything he could do about them.

He had changed in the time they'd been together, she could see that much. But it would take time before they were able to get further than they had the previous night, physically, for many reasons. She was aware he hadn't been with many women, the only proof she needed was now dried into the folds of her shirt, much too soon. It wasn't a dilemma, the way she saw it, at least it wouldn't be a problem.

Heather sighed and sat on the edge of the bed, biting down nervously on her lip. The physical part for her didn't seem like it would be a problem. The mental part, that would be a different story. The last time she had been with a man, by her choice, was many months before the outbreak. The other time, more recently, still halted her thoughts.

Daryl hadn't been rough with her, regardless of the bite marks on her neck that would state otherwise. He'd actually surprised her by being more gentle than he ever had before. She considered it a minor victory, noticing how he always seemed to have a rough edge about him. He'd also gotten better with how he handled her.

With all her conflicting thoughts running through her head, she didn't hear the knock at the door. She didn't even know someone was there until the door opened and she looked up at the movement. Daryl closed the door behind him and set his bow on the ground, his eyes on her.

She was up suddenly, her body nearly thrown against his as she held onto him tightly. His body was tense, not ready for the impact. She pulled back from him and lifted her eyes to his, frowning when she touched his face where it had been torn in her dream. It was covered in dirt instead of blood and his facial hair was rough against her palm.

"Look like ya seen a ghost." he said lightly, setting his hand on her shoulder.

He caught a strand of her hair between his fingers, wrapping it around as she laughed quietly. His eyes were cast down to hers, the blue hardly noticeable as he squinted. He no longer wore the cold mask. His lips were pressed together in a tight smile.

"Can you skip watch tonight?" she asked him, her voice quiet as she thought maybe it was a ridiculous request.

Daryl was going to question her until he saw the look on her face. Rick had said she looked upset when she found him and now that he saw her, he noticed she was nervous. Scared, even. Her hair was wild, her eyes moreso as she waited for him to say something.

He nodded first and she felt all the tension leave her shoulders.

"I'll see if T Dog'll take over for me." he agreed, "Wait here, I'll be back in a few minutes."

Heather sat back down on the bed, exhaustion beating her again. The dream kept replaying and she found that she was more disturbed by what Daryl had said. _I couldn't save you._ She knew he tried desperately to protect her and with her dream, fragments of the words Carol had last said to her came rushing back at full speed. _He's going to get himself killed if he keeps trying to protect you._

It was overwhelming and when Daryl came back to the room, she was trying not to have a panic attack. She would never ask him to look after her or keep her safe. Yet it dawned on her that, if she was in immediate danger, he would risk himself to make sure she got out alive.

Daryl kicked his boots off and moved onto the bed, sitting the pillows against the headboard before he leaned against them. Heather watched him get comfortable, paying attention to every little movement he made. His hair had fallen across his eyes, the dirt making it look a shade lighter than black though she knew it was actually brown. The contrast between his hair and his eyes silenced her screaming mind. He sat back up and slid his vest off, the angel wings landing face up as he tossed it to the ground.

Her guardian angel.

She walked around the bed to his side, shutting her mind off as she slid on top of him, straddling him. He froze up beneath her yet grasped onto her waist quickly, his grip light. She leaned down, kissing him lightly. She could feel his hesitation as he kissed her back, their movements slow and steady. She didn't want to scare him off.

He sat up straighter, keeping her body pressed against his, deepening the kiss just slightly. Her fingers tangled in his hair, his hips pressing into her when she parted her lips. She wanted to keep kissing him, to continue the gentle act, but even she could sense it was too soon. His actions were jerky and awkward as his hand brushed against the skin beneath her shirt. His calloused fingers felt the scar along her back and the kissing stopped.

Heather rolled off of him, his arms still connected to her as he turned to his side with her. It was too early to go to sleep but just being with him, like they were, was enough to calm her nerves for the time being. She leaned in again, giving him one last kiss, then tilted her head down and buried her face into his chest. His hand was still under her shirt, fingers still tracing the muddled skin along her spine.

She wasn't used to thinking so deeply she couldn't concentrate on anything else. Usually it was Daryl who had that problem, but now, she struggled to remind herself that he was with her. With that thought, she instantly followed it with thinking, _but for how long?_

She wouldn't get him killed, that much she was certain of. With all they had been through together, there was no way she would be able to live with herself if something so damaging happened. She would be broken without him and that realization prompted her to scoot closer to him. He welcomed her by adjusting his body accordingly, resting his chin on top of hers.

She was still thinking when he started talking to her, completely unaware that she was hardly paying attention to her. She heard pieces of what he was saying. Mainly about his hunting trip and the few squirrels he brought back.

She was still thinking when the first shot was fired, followed by the sounds of panic.

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**This isn't as long as I wanted it to be but since I won't be able to update until next week most likely, I thought I'd hit you guys with a quick update to hold you over. Now Heather's getting insecure! How do you think this change is going to affect their relationship? As for the reviews about who you guys think is going to die...well...I can't tell you yet. :) But I promise you won't be disappointed.**

**Please continue leaving me reviews. I'm trying really hard to get my ideas out there with what you guys want to read.**

Also, the rating will be changed to M in about three chapters. Something else for you to look forward to!


	49. Chapter 49

**All of you folks are absolutely incredible. I thoroughly enjoy reading every single one of your reviews. You make me want to write every time I have a few spare minutes, which is what I've been doing. I really hope you enjoy this chapter! There's quite a bit of emotion and feeling near the end.**

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Daryl jumped out of the bed, throwing his shoes on carelessly when they heard another gun shot ring out amidst the screams. He ran to Heather, grabbing her wrist as he pulled her off the bed and picked his bow up.

"Stay close, ya hear?"

Heather nodded and flicked her wrist, letting her hand fall into his before he gripped it tightly. Her machete already strapped to her waist, she grabbed her bat off the ground and was led out of the room by Daryl. She followed behind him, slipping her hand from his as he crouched and raised his bow.

Rick was in the lobby, blood covering his shirt as he grabbed his bag off the floor and began loading it with the ammo they had left. He looked up to Daryl and Heather, panic on his face.

"We gotta get out of here. Grab only what we need and get to the car." he ordered them, not stopping as he picked up whatever he could carry.

"What's goin' on?" Daryl questioned him, standing up straight.

"Walkers." Rick said simply, looking up at them, "They're surrounding the place. We don't have enough ammo to clear them out so we have to go. Now."

Daryl reached behind him and grasped Heather's wrist again, pulling her closer to him.

"Go back to the room, get ya coat and ya gun." he said, ignoring his surroundings as Lori and Beth ran into the room, grabbing a few things each before they left again in a hurry.

Heather started to shake her head, grabbing onto Daryl's other hand as she watched the women grabbed their packs as well and they began stuffing it with their personal items.

"Do we really have time for that?" she protested, "We have to go."

Daryl twisted around so he was facing her, a scowl on her face.

"You need ya coat. If we're gonna be outside in this weather, ya jacket ain't gonna be warm enough. Now, c'mon. Quit arguin' with me."

Heather nodded and turned away, leaving Daryl in place as she headed for the room. Daryl ran over to Rick and grabbed the things he was shoving into the bags; the first aid kits, bottled water, cans of food, even the multiple knives they had lying around the room, while Rick explained to him what everyone else was doing at the moment.

When they had finished filling the bags, trying not to pay attention to the sounds of gunfire outside and T Dog yelling orders at whoever was with him, Daryl hurried over to the front door. Carol had herself pressed against it, the wood seeming to bend at the weight of the dead on the other side. He pulled her out of the way, handing her his gun in the process. She held it in her hands, shaking her head.

"Go round back, Maggie and Hershel's got the cars goin'. Use it only if ya hafta. Don't have much ammo left." he told her, surprised at the strength he had to use to keep the door closed.

"What about you?" she asked him.

"I'm waitin' on Heather." he explained, "Now go, 'fore it gets too late."

Carol could only nod as she looked at him, at the determination clear on his face as he pressed himself closer to the door. They had been preparing for this to happen since they'd found the hotel, yet now that it was happening, it felt like they weren't prepared at all.

"You two hurry up." she said, nodding again before she turned and followed Rick to the back door.

Daryl was gritting his teeth against the weight of the door, looking to the hallway where Heather should be coming down, but still wasn't. His inhaled deeply, turning his attention back to where Rick and Carol came running through the hallway, panicked.

"They got in through the back!" Rick yelled at him, turning down the opposite hallway, where Heather was just now making her way towards them.

Daryl jumped off the door quickly, figuring they would have a few seconds before the walkers came barging in. He held his bow in one hand and reached out, grabbing Heather's hand as he pulled her after Rick and Carol.

"There's an emergency exit back this way!" Rick called out from in front of them.

Heather was struggling to keep up and Daryl could feel her grasp start to loosen. He pulled on her hand, slowing down slightly. The walkers were filling the hallway behind them and he knew that if they didn't pick up speed, they would be goners.

"C'mon. We're almost there." he tried to keep her motivated.

She looked up at him and nodded, the pain evident on her face as she sped up, tightening her grip on his hand again. She had her backpack on and her bat in her other hand. He noticed she had gotten her coat, _Shane's coat_, and her gun was tucked away in the waist of her jeans.

Rick turned a corner, Carol trailing after him and before Daryl and Heather had a chance to turn, they heard a shrill alarm and the more moans from the dead. Almost instantly, Rick and Carol began firing their guns and Daryl raised his bow at eye level. They rounded the corner, the emergency exit wailing in protest as Daryl stepped through the opening, releasing a bolt into the closest walker's head.

Heather followed behind him, her hand still attached to his as she lifted her bat and connected it with another walker. Daryl began running again, hoping Heather would be able to catch up. Rick had already made it to the car, opening the door as Carol got in. Hershel, Lori, Beth and T Dog were in one car; Rick, Carl, Maggie, Glenn, and Carol in the other. Daryl's bike remained beside the two other vehicles and even though the streets were littered with snow, he knew he could rely on it to get them out. T Dog and Glenn were standing outside of the car with the door open, firing at walkers that weren't immediately behind them. The cars were both started, ready to drive.

"Hurry up!" Glenn yelled at them, his voice lost under the moans of the dead.

He looked behind him, his mouth agape when he realized just how many walkers were chasing after them. The horde seemed never ending and he wondered how no one had noticed them coming sooner. He turned back around, focusing on the fact that it would only take a few more seconds to get to his bike. Then time almost slowed down as he heard Heather scream _no_ and her hand fell from his. He turned back around quickly, reaching out for her again but she had already gotten out of his reach. She was running back, her bat lying on the ground just feet in front of her.

Fear enveloped Daryl as he watched her grab her bat and turn back around, just before a walker grabbed onto her, holding her arm as the former man opened his mouth and clamped onto her shoulder. He stopped moving, stopped breathing for a split second before she screamed again and his crossbow was raised, a bolt already embedded into the walker's skull. She stumbled forward, other walkers catching up to her as they reached out.

Daryl ran forward, ignoring Rick's yells from the car. The walker's had grabbed onto Heather's backpack, keeping her in place as she struggled to get free. She slipped her arms from the straps and fell forward, landing on her knees. He grabbed onto her arms, yanking her up as he grabbed the gun from her jeans and fired at the closest walker. He pulled her to his bike, practically throwing her on as he started it and drove forward, ahead of the other cars.

She felt him trembling as she buried her face into the back of his vest, trying to block out the cold wind as they swerved around in the snow. After a few minutes, he slowed down and let the other vehicles pull in front of him, leading the way to wherever they would be stopping. His body was tense as she gripped his coat in her fingertips.

It was still light out when Rick's car stopped by an abandoned gas station, broken down cars filling the small parking lot. Daryl parked his bike and immediately got off, grabbing onto Heather's arm and pulling her with him. She started to object as the others got out of the cars and watched Daryl. He was angry, she could feel it.

He took her coat off throwing it onto the ground before he unzipped her jacket and threw that off as well. When she was down to just her t shirt, he pulled the collar aside and ran his hands roughly over the spot where the walker had bit down. There were no bite marks and Daryl angrily let go of her, sending her stumbling back a step.

"What the fuck were ya thinkin', goin' back for that damn bat?" he asked her, turning around to glare at her.

She shook her head, his anger silencing her. She had never seen him so upset, he was visibly shaking.

"Ya could've gotten yaself killed. _Almost _did." he ran a hand through his hair, his chest heaving as he turned away from her again, "How selfish can ya be? Ya can't just think about yaself anymore."

His voice was rising and she turned, shaking her head at Rick, who started walking forward. The group was trying not to look at them but they had all seen what happened and now she had to suffer Daryl's wrath like she never had before.

"What the fuck am I supposed to do if ya die?" he wanted to know, "Where the hell does that leave me?"

Daryl turned around and stood in front of her, his eyes boring into hers as she looked up at him.

"Ya want this to work," he pointed between the two of them, "ya need to stop riskin' ya life for shit that don't even matter. Stop goin' back for shit. People. Ya can't do that, not without my permission. I ain't gonna be with someone who can't even save them self."

He breathed in and squinted, lifting his eyes as if he had just realized everyone could hear what was being said. The air was tense as he grabbed his bow tightly and stalked past Rick, intent on heading into the woods. Rick reached out, wanting to stop him but he saw Heather shake her head at him.

"Let him go." she said just loud enough for him to hear.

She stood in place, touching her shoulder, as she started shivering. Before she could grab her coat, Carol was beside her, helping her back into her jacket.

"He's upset." Heather said, letting Carol zip up her coat, unsure of why she was attempting to offer some sort of explanation.

"He's scared." Carol corrected her, offering a small smile.

Heather nodded as the older woman tried her best to comfort it. It was strange but Heather could sense the change in Carol's attitude after being a witness to Daryl's emotions.

"You alright?" Rick asked her as she walked over to where he was standing.

"I'm fine." she stated, "I lost the food."

"You're ok though, that's all that matters." he assured her, biting back a frown at her words.

Heather stayed silent as she breathed out, a cloud of white smoke escaping past her lips. She thought of what Daryl had said, the fear in his voice as he spoke to her.

"How did this happen?" Heather questioned, her voice small as Rick let out a sigh.

"Maggie and Glenn were on watch." he sighed again, running a hand over his face, "They got...distracted and next thing I knew, they were running in, yelling about a herd."

Heather nodded, wincing as she realized Daryl should have been out there.

"What are we going to do now?" she asked him, tilting her head up to look at him.

He shrugged his shoulders, "We keep lookin' for somewhere safe."

"What if there is nowhere safe?"

Rick paused in his thoughts and shook his head, "We keep lookin."

He turned away from her then, climbing back into the car. They had the heat on in the cars but Heather wanted to stay outside, to make sure Daryl got back to them. She knew he would, he always did.

It felt like hours later before he burst through the treeline, his eyes on the ground in front of him. He walked to his bike and set his bow on top, biting down on his lip as his eyes met hers. She was shaking from the cold, her lips a light shade of blue. He motioned with his hand for her to come to him and she did, without a thought. She stood in front of him , her eyes now avoiding his as he cleared his throat.

"Sorry...for yellin'." he apologized, "Meant what I said though."

"I know," she nodded her head, "it's ok."

"Don't do that shit again." he warned her, a hint of anger still in his voice.

"I won't." she promised, smiling slightly.

He scoffed and shook his head.

"We're still figurin' it out." he breathed and she realized he was talking about them as a couple.

He looked at the cars and let out a breath. She was cold, he could see that much, and even though he was cold as well, the one thing he already had figured out was how to put her ahead of him.

"C'mon." he held his hand out, placing it on her shoulder lightly as he gave her a gentle push.

He led her to Hershel's truck and opened the door, peeking his head in. Hershel and Beth were in the front seat, their hands held up in front of the heater. Lori and T Dog were in the back.

"Room for one more?" he asked, pushing Heather forward.

Hershel nodded and Lori scooted over, letting Heather crawl in beside her.

"You can't stay out in the cold." she said as he rested his hand on the door.

"I'll be fine." he assured her, turning away when she frowned at him, "I'll come in a little bit. Save a spot for me."

Heather reached out for his hand and for once, he didn't pull away even though there were people watching. He gripped it loosely before pressing his lips together and taking a step back. He closed the door, trapping them in the warmth as he made his way back over to his bike.

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**For those who wondered, I've always been torn between how I want Carol to be in this story. As I've stated before, I actually quite like Carol's character in the show, especially after this season. I'm thinking about slowly making her into more a friend than an enemy but there's going to be a lot of work on my end to get the "relationship" between Heather, Carol, and Daryl figured out.  
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	50. Chapter 50

**For all your patience, the longest chapter yet. With a surprise at the end.**

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The day after the hotel had been ambushed, Rick sent Daryl into the woods to hunt. Their food supply was short since Heather had unwillingly dropped the backpack she had loaded with canned goods. Rick assured her it wasn't her fault, there was nothing to be done about it, but she couldn't help but feel guilty to how it happened. She convinced herself that it would have happened anyway, considering it had been weighing her down. She, in reality, just didn't want to admit the only reason she went back for the bat, was because it was her dad's. The last thing she had to remind her of her family. The sentimental reason was how she could have been killed and Daryl still hadn't let her live it down.

Daryl had stayed outside most of the night, using the cold as an excuse to get his head straight and keep watch. When the sun broke through the tree lines the next morning, T Dog switched and Daryl climbed into the car with Heather. He slept for a few hours, Heather resting against him, before he trudged into the woods. The group stayed at the abandoned gas station until Daryl got back, then they got into their vehicles and continued down the road.

On the second day, Heather and Daryl went on a quick run to a small grocery store they had almost driven passed. Even after the running, her ankle had only swelled up again. The pain was minimal, making it easier to travel for longer. Hershel considered it extremely lucky she hadn't broken it again though she had to keep insisting she was a fast healer. Daryl had only allowed her to accompany him because he hadn't been able to spend a minute with her alone.

They were quick about it, in and out, grabbing the few items that were scattered on the floor. The store had been nearly picked clean with the exception of two cans of black beans and a bag of potato chips. As they were leaving, Heather spotted a big, blue truck that sat in the far end of the parking lot. After explaining her reasoning behind it, Daryl agreed to keep a look out for her as she hot wired the vehicle.

"It's too cold to be riding your bike, put it in the back of the truck. That way it won't get damaged so easily." she had told him.

He felt stupid for not thinking of it before her. She traveled with him on his bike whenever they went somewhere, her hands holding onto his sides tightly, her face always buried into the fabric of his vest. The weather had gotten colder and the frosty air was beginning to numb Daryl's face.

When she finally got the truck started, showing complete enthusiasm as she noticed that not only was the gas tank half full, there was also a spare battery in the bed of the truck, they drove back to the meeting spot where the rest of the group was waiting for them, Heather hardly able to control how excited she had been with her discovery and the fact that she could hot wire a car after only reading how to do it.

Daryl paid closer attention to her, his eyes seeming to never leave her. The fear he felt when he saw the walker bite her was something he had never experienced before and the more he tried to figure out what that fear meant, the more he realized how reliant on her he had become. There were many reasons he would be devastated by the loss of her but the main reason was that she would simply cease to exist. He couldn't imagine her not being there anymore and even the thought put a lump in his throat.

So he kept her closer than he ever had before, even attempting to be more physical with her in front of everyone else. It had been little notions he tested; brushing her hair behind her ear, letting his hand linger on her back, he even found himself checking her shoulder every now and then, rubbing at the spot where the walker could have bit her. She welcomed his attempts and for his sake, never responded with her own touches until she was sure he would be comfortable with it. No one questioned him and even though he swore everyone was watching him, no one seemed to notice anything different between the two of them.

On the third day, Glenn and Maggie had finally apologized profusely to everyone for their lack of responsibility. By that point, no one really cared what their excuse was and the only person who was upset by it, was Hershel, only because he was aware what the two had been doing. Needless to say, they weren't allowed to do watch together anymore.

It was also on the third day when Daryl began to notice how Carol started following Heather around, offering her help and wanting to talk every chance she wasn't with him. He was wary of the woman, knowing the things she had said to Heather and how upset it had made her. He expressed his confusion about the situation to Heather when they had a moment together but she assured him that as long as things were civil within the group, whatever Carol was doing shouldn't be an issue to them. He tried to agree with her but he couldn't shake the feeling that something was up.

That night, Rick had been the one who set himself for watch, his actions obvious to Heather, who had noticed the distance he put between him and Lori. They hadn't been speaking to one another and the stress was beginning to show on Rick's face. She kept an eye on him, worried he had hit a wall.

She settled into the passenger side of the truck, pulling the blanket around her tighter as she yawned. The windows had begun to fog up slightly when she breathed and while she watched Daryl and Rick push a broken down car away from their cars, she lifted her finger, making lines on the window. She was thankful the other two vehicles were big enough for the group because the truck was the only alone time she had with Daryl and even then, it was only at night.

Daryl climbed into the truck, instantly bringing his hands up to his mouth so he could breathe on them. He started the engine, allowing the heat to fill the inside before he turned it back off. He turned to her, lifting his arm up before motioning with his head. She complied, scooting closer and leaning into him, her head resting against his shoulder. Heather moved the blanket so it was covering him, too.

"Too cold out." he muttered, tilting his head down, his breath warm as it coursed through her hair.

"Baby." she smiled, her fingers gripping the fabric of his coat.

He scoffed, "Says the girl who's wearin' so many layers, she can hardly move."

She laughed lightly, getting a smile out of him. She closed her eyes, the constant exhaustion creeping up on her again when she felt his hand rubbing her back gently.

"I hope we won't have to keep running all winter." she said quietly, "Rick thinks we'll find somewhere else to stay."

Daryl shifted in the seat, exhaling. He had his own opinions about whether or not they would find somewhere safe, but he tended to keep them to himself, not wanting to cause a rift within the group. He could be honest with Heather though, and she wouldn't judge him for what he thought.

"Me an' Rick are goin' out tomorrow to look around. Might not be able to find somewhere to stay for too long but he's convinced we'll find something temporary." he told her, keeping his voice low as if he was worried about disturbing the other members of the group, who were just feet away in the other cars.

"You're not though." she stated, tilting her head back.

He looked down at her, shaking his head as he pursed his lips together. She didn't look offended, like he had assumed she would be for some reason. She was deep in thought, nodding her head.

"Been hangin' out in the country where hardly anyone lives an' we got forced from there. Supposed to be safe. If it ain't safe there, don't feel like anywhere would be." he explained to her, sighing before he rested his cheek against the top of her head.

"Do you think we'd have better luck being constantly on the move?" she asked him, her words coming out forced as she tried to hold back a yawn.

She failed and Daryl smiled to himself through the darkness. He held her closer, fighting back his own yawn.

"I think it would be easier to defend ourselves if we aren't trapped in a buildin', not knowin' when another herd gonna come through."

Heather breathed in, not saying anything and for a moment, Daryl thought she was asleep. Then she moved against him and sighed.

"Smart man." she spoke lightly, her voice coated in lethargy.

Daryl swallowed, brushing his lips against her hairline.

"Go to sleep." he told her, knowing how hard she struggled to stay awake every night just so she could talk to him.

She nodded again, tilting her head up. Her eyes were closed but she was smiling and Daryl felt his heart speed up briefly as she leaned into him and pressed her lips against his quickly. She relaxed against him and before he could say another word, she had slipped into sleep.

The next morning came and as Daryl started waking up, he was surprised to find that Heather was still asleep. He had gotten used to her waking up long before he did, waiting patiently for him to wake up before they began their day.

Rick was still outside, walking back and forth between the cars. Daryl could tell he hadn't slept at all from the way he seemed to drag himself back to Hershel's car, where the old man had stepped of. Daryl shook Heather's shoulder lightly, frowning when she only groaned and pressed her head harder into his chest.

"Wake up." he pushed on her shoulder, feigning annoyance when she reached her hand out and slapped it against his stomach.

"Seriously," he growled, moving his arm from around her, "Gotta wake up. We got shit to do today."

Heather finally sat up, sighing as her hair covered most of her face. Daryl brushed it aside, squinting at her sleepy eyes. She was pouting.

"Ya alright?" he tried not to smile and when he did, he had to turn his head away from her.

"Fine. Just tired." she rubbed at her eye, yawning as she pulled the blanket from around her.

She grabbed her bat from the floor of the truck, twisting her wrist before opening the door and climbing out. Daryl watched her walk over to Rick and while they talked, he picked up his bow and got out.

The winter weather had certainly begun to take its toll on the group, the cold controlling their motions as they all got out of the vehicles. Lori seemed to have the most trouble, her pregnancy now showing no matter how many layers she wore. Daryl, being the closest to them, held his arm out. Lori grasped it and got her footing before she thanked him quietly.

"Shouldn't be on your feet anyway." he told her, shaking his head, "Baby's under enough stress as it is."

Lori didn't say anything as Daryl grimaced and turned away, over to where Rick was obviously waiting for him. He was near the end of explaining to Heather what he wanted her to do for the group while they were gone, which included keeping the peace. It sounded simple enough so Heather nodded and ran a hand through her messy hair.

"You guys know how long you'll be gone?" she asked, turning her attention to Daryl, knowing they would be scavenging.

He looked up at the sky, guessing it was still early, most likely before 9 am, so he shrugged and bit down on his lip.

"Evening." he stated, looking back down at her as she nodded.

"We should probably head out now," Rick suggested, his voice tired, strained, "Got a long day ahead of us."

The two men said their goodbyes to anyone, which simply consisted of them waving and forcing smiles before they climbed into the truck and started off down the road. Carol and Lori prepared a small breakfast for everyone, which didn't fill them up and afterwards, their stomachs were still growling.

The day passed by slowly, Heather had Hershel look at her ankle, who said it was still healing up nicely. He offered her a few solutions to make the soreness ease, including having someone massage her Achilles tendon. He showed her how to do it and by the time he finished, she was already more relaxed.

"I've noticed Carol has been friendlier to you." he said, setting her foot down on the ground in front of him, "I'm not exactly sure what was said between the two of you, but this seems to be an improvement."

Heather nodded, letting out a breath. Daryl had said almost the exact same thing the previous day, mildly concerned that Carol wasn't being friendly for the right reasons.

"I just don't have the time or patience to worry about whether or not people like me, especially now," Heather said quietly, "as long as she's not plotting against me, I don't care what kind of relationship we have."

The old man's lips pressed together into a small smile before he nodded and breathed in.

"Just keep an eye out on her. I see how she follows you around now, one eye on you, the other on Daryl. It's not sitting well with me." he told her, rubbing his hands against the knees of his pants.

"You would let me know if she's planning to kill me, right?"

Hershel chuckled and nodded his head, "Of course I would. All your injuries keep me from losing my skill."

Heather laughed this time, "You're lucky I'm so clumsy."

The day continued to drag on. T Dog and Glenn spent most of their time playing with a deck of cards they had found in the back of one of the cars, betting on things they didn't even have to offer. It kept them busy and soon enough, the rest of the group was crowding around them, betting on who would win.

Heather sat down next to Lori, whose hands were held protectively over her belly as she smiled. From the corner of her eye, Heather could see Carol watching her and it was then that she began to feel a bit uncomfortable. She tried to ignore it but the more she engaged in conversation with Lori, the more obvious the stares became. She scratched at the back of her neck, frowning to herself while Lori talked about how the baby was kicking and making it hard to sleep at all.

Heather was thankful when the truck pulled up to their spot and Carol's eyes left her. She let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding, and stood up, watching as Daryl and Rick got out of the truck. Rick looked happy, which was strange to see after him brooding for so long.

Daryl instinctively moved over to where Heather was standing, his crossbow held in his hands as he stood next to her. She looked up and smiled at him, watching him nod in response before Rick started talking.

"We found a place." he started, trying hard to keep the smile from his face, "It's a small, gated community a few miles from here. Daryl and I already cleared out a couple houses that we can stay in for the night. They still have electricity and hot water, but we'll have to be careful still."

There were murmurs throughout the group at the mention of hot water. It became obvious that none of them much cared for the electricity but the hot water...that was something they could all use.

"There were very few walkers in the area so we think it might be safe for now. Just...pay attention to what's going on around you. We don't need a repeat of last time." Rick said, his eyes unintentionally focusing on Maggie and Glenn, who were turning red from embarrassment.

The group got their things loaded back into the vehicles and started driving towards their destination.

"Told Rick I ain't sleepin' 'round them no more." Daryl said as he pulled onto the main road, "cleaned out one of the houses for us...if ya wanted to get away from everyone. There's plenty of room in both of them."

Heather turned and looked at him, nodding her head. She didn't have to say anything for him to realize she was ok with the living situations. He nodded as well, breathing in deeply.

"You should take a shower first though," she smiled at him, "you got blood all over your face."

Daryl frowned and leaned over, looking at himself in the rear view mirror. He couldn't remember when it had happened but he figured it was from the walkers he had taken care of in their house.

They made it to the community and Rick closed the gates behind them, locking them inside. It was small, as he had stated, only one block filled with houses lined on either side. They parked their cars close to the gate and when they got out, Daryl and Rick led them to the middle of the block where they pointed out the two houses.

"Figure if we keep any lights on, people from the streets will be less likely to notice them." Rick explained as everyone grabbed their bags from the vehicles.

Daryl motioned with his head for Heather to follow him, and she did, not having her own bag to carry. He showed her around the house, pointing out that it must have been new, since there was hardly any furniture throughout it. There were boxes lined against the walls and plastic covering the couch and chair that were in the living room.

Heather instantly went to the kitchen, nearly fainting when she opened the cupboard and saw it was loaded with food. Her mouth began to water as she pulled out a can of pears and another one of peaches. Daryl watched her search around for a can opener then decided he would go take a shower.

When he was successfully clean, he got dressed in his moderately clean clothes and went in search for Heather. He grabbed his bag by the front door and headed to the kitchen, where he had last seen her. She wasn't in the kitchen anymore so he followed the hallway to the room that was near the back of the house, seeing a faint light coming from behind the closed door. He knocked once, and heard Heather call out to him.

Daryl dropped his bag to the ground, squinting through the darkness in the room. The room was large and aside from the many closets, he could see that there was also an attached bathroom, which was most likely the reason she had picked this room. Heather was by the window, hanging a blanket over it to keep anyone from noticing the small lantern she had sitting on the end table. She stepped down off the box she was using as a step stool and sniffed, turning around to face him.

"Think anyone will be able to see the light from outside?" she asked him, crossing her arm along her chest as she rubbed her shoulder.

He shrugged, "Maybe just dim it a little, just in case."

She nodded and leaned over, turning the knob down so the light was just a faint glow in the room. Her shadow stretched across the walls and Daryl sighed, surprised at how relieved he felt that they would finally get to sleep away from the rest of the group. There may have been no bed but he had started getting claustrophobic after spending so many nights cramped in the cars.

"I'm gonna take a quick shower," Heather told him, crouching down by a bag.

Daryl watched her pull out a few articles of clothing, clearly ones she had taken from the house. She stood back up and pressed her lips into a tight smile.

"Take the light with ya." he motioned to the lantern, still on the table.

She picked it up in her hand, "You know...the steam will help with that chill. You can come sit in there...if you want."

She didn't wait to see the expression on his face before turning around and heading into the connected bathroom. He had made the right decision in telling Rick they would take care of their own house. If there was one thing he couldn't deny, no matter how much he wanted to, it was that he had never physically needed anybody the way he needed her. And he knew it was only because he had also never been interested in anyone enough to form the bond he had with her.

So when she made the suggested, the only thing he could think of was what had happened the last time they had attempted to get physical. He wasn't a stupid man, he knew what she was doing. It wasn't hard to figure out it, especially after the many days of the lingering touches she left him with whenever they passed her each. He allowed, finding comfort in the way her skin felt against his. He had even returned the ministrations a few times, as much as he could.

Daryl swallowed loudly, shaking his head. He couldn't hesitate with her anymore. Above everyone else, she was what was important to him. If there was a time for them to seal the deal, this would be it. None of them knew how much longer they had left, the least he could do give that part of himself to someone who deserved it.

He slid his vest off, letting it fall to the ground before he unbuttoned his shirt, leaving him in a simple black t shirt. He kicked his shoes off, pausing before deciding to leave his socks on, then headed into the bathroom. The steam hit him instantly and he couldn't stop the small smile that took over as he closed the door behind him. The shower he had taken earlier wasn't as hot as he would've liked it, but he didn't know then how reliable the water would be. She had insisted he take one first, seeing as he was covered in blood from days ago.

He pressed his back against the wall and slid down to the floor so he was sitting. He tilted his head up when he saw the shower curtain pull back a bit and Heather stuck her head out.

"I'm almost done, I swear." she smiled at him, "This water feels so good."

He smiled back, nodding his head.

"Take ya time. Never know when we'll be able to take another one." he reminded her.

She grinned this time, the act causing his stomach to drop, before disappearing behind the shower curtain. Daryl flexed his hands, feeling his palms get clammy. He was beginning to think too much, his mind racing around all the possibilities, which in reality, could happen but he knew never would. Not with her.

He breathed in heavily, closing his eyes as the steam entered through his nostrils. When he released his breath, trying to calm his jittery nerves, the water shut off and he looked up again, the towel pulled from the curtain rod. There was rustling on the other side of the curtain before Heather pulled it open, donned in only a towel.

Daryl's stomach dropped again and he looked away as she lifted her leg over the edge of the bathtub. He stood up, keeping his eyes down and reached out for the lantern. He dimmed it again, taking in a steady breath as Heather leaned down to pick the pile of clothes off the floor. He turned around, standing still as he heard the towel drop to the ground. He didn't move again until she took his hand in hers and he nodded to himself, taking in another breath before he opened the door and walked back into the room, her following on his heels.

He set the lantern down on the night stand and turned around to see Heather had only put on a pair of underwear and her bra. He quickly looked away, his face heating up at his sudden embarrassment. She didn't seem phased as she sat down on the floor and stretched her leg out in front of her, twisting her ankle in small circles. When he turned his head back to her, finding it nearly impossible to convince himself it wasn't ok to stare.

She beckoned him with her hand, noticing the way he was standing awkwardly. He didn't hesitate before he moved over to her. She didn't even have to explain what she needed from him.

He sat down in front of her, crossing his legs together as she stretched her leg out across his, the heel of her bare foot landing softly in the palm of his hand. She kept her eyes on his face as he massaged her Achilles tendon between his fingers gently before rotating her ankle. His breathing was shaky when her joint popped and he found he couldn't take his hands away. She scooted forward, uncrossing her other leg and sliding it around him.

Daryl moved his hands further up as she eased into his lap, her legs around him as she straddled him. He tilted his head up, pressing his lips against the curve of her neck. He inhaled, tightening his grip around her waist, her arms reaching around him, fingers tangled in his hair. She pulled back slightly and released a handful of his hair before moving her hands to rest on his broad shoulders.

He brought his hand up to the side of her neck, holding it firmly as he pulled her to him, brushing his lips against hers lightly. He felt her trembling as she pressed into him harder, sighing when his tongue touched hers. His kisses were gentle until they got deeper and as he struggled to catch a breath amidst the taste of her, he pulled away when Heather's fingers gripped the hem of his shirt. She lifted it over his head and after tossing it to the side, he resumed kissing her with a new sense urgency.

He kept his thoughts at bay, focusing on the way her hands felt against his skin as they dug into his shoulders, his back and then his abdomen when he leaned forward, placing her beneath him, her legs on either side of his body. A small moan escaped her lips as he brought his lips down to her neck, desperate for her scent. He pulled her up and unclasped her bra, throwing it aside, his eyes watching hers for any sort of sign to stop. Her lips were swollen from his and her damp hair hung in loose curls over her shoulder. She kept his gaze as she reached her hands out, unbuckling his belt before pulling it from its loops.

Daryl couldn't even comprehend how quickly they were moving until Heather's hands had successfully gotten his pants down. He was shaking, trying to keep up with how much faster his body was moving than his mind. All he could see was her. All he could hear was her.

He reached down and held the fabric of her panties between his fingers, looking at her face again to see any objection. Her lips were parted but he could see nothing that would tempt him to stop. He leaned back into her and gently kissed her lips, her hips lifting up slightly as he pulled her panties off. Once he had gotten his boxers off, the kissing got lighter and his shaking had turned to subtle trembling.

Heather pulled away from him, running her fingers lightly across his cheek. He knew she could tell he was nervous, something he could also sense in her.

"It's ok." she told him quietly, her voice sweet as she kissed him again.

He only nodded, swallowing before she reached between them, grasping him gingerly in her hand. His lips parted when she used her other hand to pull on his arm, bringing him closer to her. The warmth between her legs was almost too much for him as she guided him into her. He moved carefully, pressing into her with a solid stroke. She gasped when his thighs touched hers and he was shaking again from the concentration. He pulled out slowly, letting her adjust to him, kissing her open mouth hungrily.

She moved with him, his hand lifting her leg up to his waist, allowing him to glide inside of her deeper. A small moan echoed through his ear and he had to close his eyes, the reality of what was happening threatening to destroy his confidence.

Daryl sped up his motions just barely, leaning his head down in the curve of her neck. She was holding onto him, one hand gripping his bicep while the other tangled in his hair, keeping him close to her. She moaned again and he had to stop, the intense buildup about to explode.

"Wait, wait." he said breathlessly, shaking his head.

He was embarrassed again but Heather only nodded, tilting her head up to kiss his lips lightly. He waited a minute, trying to control himself, then he resumed moving inside of her. Her hips arched as he fasted his strokes in what he felt was an awkward way. She, however, only reacted positively, her noises growing in volume.

Heather must have noticed he was close from the way she kissed him eagerly, her legs tightening around his waist. He closed his eyes, burying his face into her neck as he felt his release. He was gasping for air quietly, trying to keep his humiliation hidden from her. He wanted to apologize to her, for not giving her warning, but he knew she would insist there was no reason to apologize. So he stayed silent, finding comfort in the way she ran her fingers along his bare back.

When he finally had the strength to move, he kept his eyes away from hers, reaching beside her to grab his boxers. He pulled them on and handed her the towel that was just feet away from him, pressing it between her legs. She waited a few moments before she got dressed. She was surprised there was no awkward tension and aside from the fact that he wouldn't look at her, she knew it was only because he didn't know how to act.

"Gonna go find some blankets." he spoke as he pulled on his jeans, staying shirtless as he turned around and left the room.

Heather continued getting dressed, leaving her brace on the other side of the room. Daryl returned a few minutes later with a large comforter and two pillows, one of which he tossed to her. She laid it down on the ground and sighed, feeling the affects of the sex they just had. She was relaxed, for once not worried about a thing. Part of her thought Daryl felt the same way as he set his pillow next to hers and sat down on the ground, pulling the blanket around them.

He turned to his side and she scooted closer to him, resting her head against his chest. He slid an arm around her and held onto her, listening to her steady breathing. She kissed his collarbone, her lips feather light as they brushed against his skin. Daryl leaned his head down and kissed the top of her head.

"It'll be better next time." he said just above a whisper, shaking his head.

Heather pushed against his chest, "Shut up. It was perfect."

He snorted, chuckling quietly. She eventually drifted off to sleep, her hand still pressed against his chest. He tried to think of when his feelings for her had changed, when he began to think of her as his other half rather than just Heather. He couldn't pinpoint it but as he held onto her, he realized that it didn't matter. She wanted him just as much as he wanted her and he didn't have to worry about how she felt about him. It was a new feeling, one he would have to get used to.

For the first time in months, Daryl fell asleep with a smile on his face

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**Now, we'll have more stuff with Carol coming up as well as the rest of winter, the death I mentioned a few chapters ago, finding the prison, another death, among more. You guys are so awesome!**


	51. Chapter 51

Heather sighed, rolling onto her back. Daryl had managed to sleep soundly on the hard floor, something she still couldn't get used to. Her back ached and the longer she tried to get comfortable, the more her bones argued in protest. She sat up, lifting Daryl's arm from around her waist. He breathed in heavily and rolled away from her, pulling the blanket up to his shoulders.

The night still felt unreal to her. There were aspects she knew wouldn't be the same anymore but as for him being awkward like she expected, it had definitely changed. He seemed to hold onto her tighter as he slept, his nose pressed against the back of her neck and it was comforting, not at all awkward.

After pulling her boot on and slipping her foot into the brace, Heather stood up and grabbed her coat. Daryl shifted again on the floor and she looked down to him, making sure he hadn't woken up. He remained still and before she could stop herself, she was digging through the pockets of his coat. She felt bad for it but the second she pulled out the crushed pack of cigarettes, she knew he would understand. There were three left. She took one out and placed it between her lips, pressing the pack into the pocket. There was a folded piece of paper in the same pocket and out of curiosity, she held it between her fingers, glancing behind her at Daryl. Turning back, she unfolded the paper and saw herself, younger, smiling fiercely.

Heather breathed in, pressing her lips together as she realized Daryl had taken the picture from her brother's wallet, and judging from the wear, it had been kept in that pocket for some time. The edges were worn down and one corner made it clear the picture had been looked at frequently.

She slid the picture back into it's rightful spot, knowing if Daryl caught her looking through his things, he would get upset. That fact was actually the least of her worries as she stood quickly and left the room. She was mainly scared of the emotion she had felt upon her realization. It was suffocating, a weight on her heart, and she tried to chalk it up to her hormones but she knew it was more than that.

The air instantly bit at her face when Heather stepped outside but she welcomed it, anything to distract her from her thoughts. She reached into her pocket and pulled out her lighter, her fingers shaking as she lit the cigarette. She inhaled, closing her eyes at the taste. It was stale but it provided the comfort she needed.

"Couldn't sleep?"

Heather jumped, her breath catching in her throat as she spun around, seeing Rick standing by the other house. He was smirking, his eyes meeting hers.

"You scared the shit out of me." she breathed out, holding her hand over her heart.

"I noticed." he was still smiling, taking a step towards her, "Didn't know you smoked."

"Used to." she told him, bringing the cigarette to her lips, "Daryl's been holding onto some for awhile now. Just kinda needed one."

Rick only nodded, moving next to her. He was holding onto his machete, his hands hidden beneath a pair of wool gloves.

"What are you doing out here?" she asked him, tilting her head up to look at him.

He shrugged, looking around the abandoned neighborhood.

"The house felt too crowded." he sighed, "And I just felt like someone needed to be keeping watch."

"Probably for the best." Heather stated quietly, bringing the cigarette back up to her lips.

"You and Daryl enjoying the house?" he questioned and she could sense that he was looking down at her.

Heather shrugged, not wanting to go into details. There were many reasons why she was enjoying the house, the main reason still noticeable by the light soreness she could feel between her legs.

"Better than being stuck in that truck again." she finally said, turning her head to see Rick was smiling and nodding his head.

She knew that he could only agree, having spent most of their nights standing outside rather than being shoved into a vehicle with multiple people. It seemed he would rather freeze than spend any amount of time with his pregnant wife.

Heather inhaled, allowing the smoke to seep into her lungs uncomfortably before she blew the smoke out and closed her eyes. Rick had unknowingly provided the brief distraction she had been craving but when she finished the cigarette and tossed it to the ground, she realized she wasn't ready to go back into the house.

"Why did you and Lori get married?" Heather asked, keeping her voice low as she turned to look at Rick.

He winced, licking his bottom lip before turning his gaze to the ground.

"She got pregnant." he answered simply, shaking his head, "I mean, I had wanted to marry her for awhile but...her being pregnant kind of gave me the courage I needed."

"Did you love her?"

Rick nodded, tilting his head. She saw how his eyes were pained and it was then she knew he really was hurting.

"How did you know?" she wondered, looking away from him.

He cleared his throat and reached his hand up to his neck, rubbing it roughly as if trying to soothe a burn that wasn't there.

"Couldn't stop thinkin' about her. Every minute of the day, every second...she was there. It happened randomly one night, when I realized. We were at a friend's house for a little get together, just hanging out, having a few beers. I can't remember exactly what Shane and I were arguing about but it was something that clearly wasn't very important. I started getting heated, you know how Shane was...hardly ever back down, and Lori...she just touches my arm and she says, _you know you're right. There's no use getting upset about it._"

Rick was smiling but the crease in his brow made the smile look sad.

"It's funny, I remember that moment clear as day but...I can't remember the last time I looked at her and didn't feel anything but anger."

Heather reached out, touching his arm lightly. He looked up at her, forcing a bigger smile, breathing through his nose.

"You know she loves you." she said, letting her hand fall to her side.

"And I still love her but that doesn't mean things are good right now." he shook his head, tilting his head back to look up at the sky, "I don't now how to fix things. Especially now. Things are just...too fucked up."

Heather remained silent, letting her own thoughts and worries regain control of her again. Rick stepped closer to her and put his hand on her shoulder.

"If anything happens to me or Lori...I need you to look after Carl." he said quietly.

"Nothing's going to happen to you, Rick." Heather frowned, trying not to let the pressure of more worries weigh her down more than she already was.

"Don't be stupid. Anything can happen to any of us. I just know that eventually you and Daryl are going to be the only ones left standing and until that time, I need to know my kid is taken care of."

"Rick..." Heather started, shaking her head.

He cut her off with the shake of his own.

"I'm serious. You've managed to cheat death God knows how many times and Daryl...Daryl can't die. You two are the most equipped to survive this." he stopped, moving his hand from her shoulder, "Accidents happen. People are going to die. I know I'm going to die. Can you please just promise me that you'll keep Carl alive as long as you can?"

Heather was startled by the sudden emotion in the older man's voice but she nodded anyway.

"Of course. I promise." she agreed, furrowing her eyebrows.

While she had managed to come to terms with her doubts and accept her feelings for what they were, Rick's request put a certain sadness in her bones. His confessions about his marriage and his fear about his son's impending doom had slightly frightened her, making her own problems seem miniscule.

She heard Rick sigh again and when she turned back to him, he was running a hand through his hair.

"How are you doing on blankets?" he asked, his voice now sounding tired, worn out.

Heather shrugged, "It's warm, the floor is just hard."

He nodded to her, "Stay out here for a minute."

He turned around and went into his house. Heather twisted her body around and frowned, looking at the house Daryl was alone in. A sinking feeling in her stomach made her frown deeper and she discovered she wanted to be with him more than anything at the moment. She cursed the millions of emotions that only seemed to plague her at the hours in the morning when no one else was awake.

Rick came back out of the house, a thick blanket in his arms. He handed it to her, nodding his head.

"Fold it in half and lay on that. Won't hurt your back as much." he told her.

She thanked him, desperately wanting to get back inside the house, and said her good night to him. He returned each of the courtesies properly and smiled at her again before she turned around and limped into the house. She closed the door behind her, taking in a breath. When she spun on her heel to go up the stairs, she was stopped by Daryl, who was standing in the doorway to the kitchen, a can of fruit in his hands.

She waited for him to say something, maybe ask what she had been doing but he didn't say anything as he dipped his fingers into the can and pulled out a peach slice, squinting at her as he chewed on it.

"The floor was too hard." she explained, holding up the blanket.

He nodded, pulling out another piece. He was still in his tank top and she found herself unable to look away from his arms. The winter had been depressing for a few reasons but Heather had concluded the main one for her was the layers Daryl had to wear, covering up his usually bared arms.

"Enjoy your cigarette?" he asked, raising his eyebrows.

Heather immediately looked to the ground, her cheeks blushing pink from embarrassment. She figured it had to be around that time of the month for her emotions to be all over the place. Where she was normally confident and strong in front of Daryl, she now felt weak.

"I ain't mad." he sighed, setting the empty can on the counter.

She watched him rinse his hands in the sink before drying them off and walking over to her. Unsure of what he was doing, she took a step back from him. He reached out and took the blanket from her then hesitated, his hand grasping onto hers lightly. She held onto him, his hand offering the solace she hadn't realized she needed until that moment.

She followed him up the stairs to the room they had made their own and stood by the door as she watched him lay the blanket down on the pile they already had, folding it over to thicken her side only. The act was small, insignificant really, but she still felt it continue to weaken her.

Daryl sat down on the bed, his eyes still squinted as he looked up at her. He was looking at her differently, eyes soft. She couldn't figure out if he had ever looked at her like that and though she tried to remain confident, she felt small under his gaze. She took her coat off, setting it down on the ground, then kicked her boot off and slid her jeans off so was just in her t shirt and her underwear.

Heather moved forward, sitting on the bed next to him, turning her head. He was still looking at her and she suddenly knew what the look was and why she had never seen it before.

It was lust.

He wanted her.

She felt like she had opened the door to a side of him she had never seen before and even with all her conflicting emotions, it was the most exciting step in their relationship. She wondered how many other people had seen this side of him.

He leaned over, pausing before he pressed his lips against her cheekbone.

When he pulled the blanket over them and slid his arm around her waist, it became clear that was the only person Daryl had been this close to. He had obviously had sex with other women before, his lack of experience hadn't burdened his performance in the slightest, but as for being intimate with no underlying motivation behind it...she was the only one.

Heather leaned forward, twisting her head so she was looking at him. His eyes met hers.

"Do you love me?" she asked quietly, feeling his arm tense around her.

He swallowed, shaking his head.

"No." he stated, but she heard his hesitation, saw the way he continued looking at her.

"Are you sure?"

Daryl swallowed again, looking away from her for only a second before he looked back, shaking his head again.

"No."

Heather nodded, "Ok."

She leaned back into him briefly before looking at him again. He was trembling as he still held onto her, his eyes still watching her. She began to turn away but he reached his hand out and grabbed the side of her face, pulling her to him. He gripped her firmly, his thumb brushing her cheekbone where he had previously kissed her, his lips just barely touching hers.

"Don't ask me questions I don't know how to answer." he spoke in a low voice and she nodded.

He hesitated again then pressed his lips against hers, lightly at first but as soon as she held onto him, she slid onto his lap and he opened his mouth. He kissed her hungrily, parting only long enough to take their shirts off. They rolled over, her hands quickly unbuttoning his pants before he kicked them off.

They moved quickly, their actions borderline frantic as he pulled off her underwear, sitting up on his knees to remove his own boxers. When he entered her he paused. Somehow she felt even better the second time. She seemed to feel the same way as he moved his lips to her neck and bit down lightly, smirking when he heard her moan.

His release came nearly just as fast as it had the last time but neither of them cared. Daryl rolled off her, grabbing the towel that still remained beside them. She pulled her shirt back on, sighing to herself as he slipped into his jeans.

He turned to her, touching the side of her face lightly before he leaned in and kissed her again, his lips lingering before he pulled away and they laid down together.

Heather knew she had gotten her answer and it had aided her making her more confident in her own revelation.

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**I am so sorry for all of these constant delays. I have so many ideas and so many things that I need to put in this story but since it all concludes to one certain event, which will be the end of my story, I have to explain everything that happens that leads up to that point.  
**

**But do not fear! I've said before that this is going to be a really long story and I mean to stick to that. In my head, I have more than a hundred chapters so this is probably going to end up being a two part story.**

I will be able to give you another chapter in the next few days so please be patient with me, I'm really trying!  



	52. Chapter 52

Daryl was surprised at how easily he slept. As always, his mind was racing but where there were normally doubts, now there was only hope and even though he felt childish for the small amount he had, he let it stay. Heather was curled up against him, her face buried under his arm and pressed into his ribcage. He held onto her lightly, feeling the way her body moved with each breath.

The one thing he couldn't doubt, no matter how often he told himself he had to, was his feelings for her. Neither of them may have said it completely, but the second she had asked the question, he knew it was true. The words were dangerous and he knew if he were to use them incorrectly, their foundation would change and he wasn't ready for that.

She woke up not too long after he did, stretching fiercely beneath the blanket before getting up. With the exception of her underwear, she was completely naked and though he tried looking away, to be polite, he ended up watching her anyway. Her movements were full of grace, making her look more like a dancer despite her ankle. When she turned away from him, the scar on her back was visible and he saw it started at the base of her neck and trailed all the way down to her tailbone. He had never seen it in its entirety before, the pale line only turning red as it pulled tight over her vertebra.

Instead of getting dressed, she grabbed some clothes and went into the bathroom. He heard her turn the water on and when he heard the shower curtain pull back, he stood up, looking around the room for his own clothes. By the time he finished getting dressed, Heather was already done with her shower and she stepped out of the bathroom, already dressed with a towel held up to her wet hair.

She mumbled something about breakfast and when he nodded, unsure of what she actually said, they headed downstairs together. Heather went over to the cupboards, the towel draped over her shoulders as her hair still dripped water it. Daryl had forgotten, after so long without a shower, that her hair was actually curly and with the pieces that had already dried, he saw the copper that was hidden beneath the brown strands.

It was that moment, half awake and starving, that he realized his lie might have hurt her. He was never prepared for certain questions to be asked of him and when he answered, he thought he was telling the truth. But now, with her knowing his true feelings, he couldn't step past his own selfishness.

He had never experienced it before and he doubted she had either, but he knew, especially when she turned around and smiled at him sweetly, her green eyes lighting up in the sunlit room, that he did love her.

He moved forward and without thinking, kissed the side of her head. When he pulled away from her, letting his hand trail down the length of her arm, she looked up at him.

"What was that for?" she asked him quietly, a small smile on her lips.

Daryl shrugged, "I need a reason?"

"I mean..." she started, shaking her head, "No. You don't. No."

Daryl nodded then, letting his worry disappear, "Make yaself some breakfast. I'ma find Rick an' see if he needs me for anything."

"Do you want any?" she questioned as he grabbed his bow.

"Yeah, I'll be back in a bit." he told her, nodding again.

He left the house then, finding Rick in the same spot he had been in the night before, gun in hand. Lori was turned away from him, already walking back into their house. It wasn't until he was standing beside Rick that Daryl realized the older man was upset. He immediately felt uncomfortable and wanted to go back into the kitchen with Heather.

"I'm gonna make a run back to the farm to get some things we needs. Things we left behind." Rick looked to Daryl, who was still feeling a bit uneasy, "Do you think Heather's ok enough to go with me?"

Daryl wanted to say no. He didn't want her going out without him, worried something might happen to her. But he didn't. Instead, he nodded his head slowly, frowning as he looked to the ground.

"You alright to be in charge while I'm gone?"

Daryl could only nod again, lifting his head up when he heard a door close. Heather exited their house, carrying out a bag. He scrunched his brow, confused as to what she was doing, until she lifted the bag and set it in the back of the truck. She was preparing for a quick escape with things they would need.

"There's coffee inside." she called out to them, "Rick, there's also some biscuits and gravy if you're hungry."

Daryl felt his stomach growl at the breakfast he would be having and sighed. He heard Rick agree and she went back into the house.

"You go on inside and eat, let her know what's happening. I gotta wake everyone up and explain what we're doing." Rick instructed Daryl, who kept silent as waited for the sheriff to leave before going into the house.

Heather handed him a plate of biscuits and a cup of coffee, black, as he sat down at the table. She sat across from him, her own coffee next to her plate. They ate through the quiet, the only sound was their light chewing and the silverware scraping against the ceramic.

When they finished, Heather carried the plates to the kitchen and set them in the sink. Daryl told her Rick's plan as she cleaned up her mess and she listened quietly, nodding her head as he spoke.

"I was gonna offer to go instead, but I figured you wouldn't like that." he finished his coffee and stood up, leaning against the kitchen counter.

She looked pleased as she turned her eyes to him.

"You're not ok with it though?" she questioned, drying her hands.

He shrugged briefly before he shook his head.

"Shouldn't be goin'. Ankle ain't completely healed and ya could get hurt again." he said lightly, looking away from her.

She didn't say anything else and he knew it was because of him. He was aware she was capable of taking care of herself and he shouldn't have been worried since Rick would be with her, he just always had a nagging feeling in the back of his mind whenever she wasn't with him.

Rick entered the house not long after, making it impossible for Daryl to explain why he was weary of her leaving. He ate his own biscuits and talked with Heather about a few things, his voice just low enough so Daryl couldn't make out what it was. There was an ounce of jealousy in his blood as Rick finished eating and him and Heather left the house together.

He followed after them, a bit embarrassed when he stepped outside to see that Heather had only followed Rick out to show him the bag she had put in the truck. He could hear her explaining why she packed it with food and stowed it away. Sighing, he scratched at the side of his neck, shaking his head to himself.

"Are you alright, Daryl?"

He hadn't even heard Lori approach but he nodded anyway, glancing at her momentarily before looking back to where Heather and Rick were still talking by the truck.

"You sure?" she asked him, her voice turning soft, maternal, "You know if something's bothering you, I can sit and listen."

Daryl hesitated, thinking for just a second it would be helpful if he unloaded all of his feelings onto someone who didn't have to deal with them firsthand, then he shrugged. He knew Lori and Heather were close and she would know things that Heather had told her but he also knew that Lori never chose sides and he, himself had been able to confide in her more than once.

"She ever say anything about me?" he asked, keeping his eyes forward out of embarrassment.

"What do you mean?"

Daryl breathed in heavily, bringing his thumb up to his mouth. He bit down, figuring out how to word things in his head, something he had never been too good about.

"Like how she feels...about. Me and her." he struggled to get the words out, trying desperately not to sound pathetic though his tone gave it away.

"She talks about you frequently. Just you though." Lori didn't go into details and that fact bothered Daryl.

"What does she say?"

He was almost surprised at how quickly he questioned her.

"Nothing you wouldn't want anyone to know." she said quietly, "She's very vague with everything but I do know that if you're doubting how she feels about you, or even if she feels anything for you, don't. You make her happy and she cares for you deeply."

Daryl nodded his head slowly, taking in another breath, "Just feel like she's gonna...change her mind. Like I'm gonna do somethin' wrong and she'll come to her senses."

He heard Lori laugh lightly and he turned to look at her.

"You really have no idea, do you?"

He was confused, his eyebrows narrowed at Lori shook her head, the smile still visible.

"She's just as clueless as you are when it comes to relationships." Lori continued, "I honestly don't think she's ever actually been in one before. Heather does what she wants and she wanted you. You two will figure out how everything works and you'll get to do it together. She has a lot of love to give, you're lucky you have her."

He tried not to smile but his lips cracked slightly and he felt Lori touch his arm lightly as he looked to the ground.

"Have you eaten?" she asked him, her motherly instincts kicking in again.

He nodded his head, "She made some biscuits."

He felt like he should have said more, maybe ask how her baby was doing, but Daryl couldn't find any words to speak with. Lori squeezed his arm reassuringly and cleared her throat.

"Rick will look out for her." she said quietly, knowing from the look on Daryl's face that he was worried about her safety while being away from him.

She couldn't blame him, ever since she had been back after the farm, he hadn't left her side except to go hunting or on quick runs with Rick. Other than that, they were always together.

"If you ever need anything, Daryl, I'm always here."

Daryl nodded his head, wanting to thank her for her unrelenting kindness, but the rest of the group began trickling out of the house. Carol was first to step out and Daryl felt himself tense up unintentionally. Her gaze immediately fell upon him and Lori seemed to notice his discomfort. She reached up and touched his arm again before turning away from him.

"Hey, Carol, could you help me gather up some of the clothes?" she asked, stepping towards the woman.

Daryl sighed in relief, running a hand through his hair as he let Lori's words echo through his head. He needed to stop doubting everything so much, he knew that, especially after the previous night. He was left wanting more of her and even though he couldn't read her mind, he could sense from her lingering touches that she felt the same way.

It shouldn't have been as stressful to think about as it was.

Rick and Heather met up with him after their meeting by the truck. Her cheeks were a light pink from the cold and she stood close to him as Rick told the group what they were planning. He tried to pay attention but he felt Heather reached down to hold his hand lightly, her fingers playing nervously with his own. He pulled his hand from hers and slid his arm around her shoulders, aware that no one else could see them from where they were standing behind everyone.

"Be careful." he said quietly, leaning his head by her ear.

"I always am." she replied, a smile evident in her voice.

He gripped her shoulder before letting his hand fall back down to his side.

She always was.

Rick finished talking, giving everyone things to do to keep busy for the day, including clearing out one house at a time, if they could handle it. There weren't many complaints from anyone; no one wanted to share a house anymore.

Daryl helped Heather load up the car they would taking with some food and supplies in case they weren't able to make it back that same day. The thought irritated Daryl but he knew to keep that to himself. Once the car was loaded up, Maggie and Beth made it a point to wish them well. Daryl stood back, watching Heather embraced both the Greene girls before T Dog ruffled her hair.

Rick simply nodded his head and got into the car, not bothering with any words to his wife, who stood on the porch of their house, hand on her belly as she frowned. When everyone got in their chance to part with the two, Daryl made his way over to the car. He held onto the door frame, Heather looking up at him.

"Ya get what ya need, then ya get back, ya hear?"

Heather nodded as he pulled her into a quick hug, guarding the kiss he brushed against her cheek. When he pulled away, he hesitantly nodded, motioning for her to get in the car. Before he closed the door, Rick turned to him.

"Make sure you close the gate behind us." he instructed, turning the key.

Daryl waited for them to pull away from the houses before he began walking to the gates.

"Should we go ahead and start without you?" Glenn called out to him, holding his gun awkwardly.

"Be there in a minute." he responded.

He heard them moving away from him, heading in the direction of a house they hadn't emptied yet. The car left deep tracks in the snow as Heather and Rick drove away from them and he stepped out of the community to watch them until they disappeared, then he turned to the gates. He grabbed the iron bar and began to pull, causing snow to fall from the bricked layout of the wall. A piece of cardboard caught his attention and he turned to it, feeling the color drain from his face as he swallowed loudly.

_All dead inside. Do not enter._

Daryl heard the scream and before he could register, he was running in the direction. Gunfire went off as Glenn stumbled back from the porch of the house next to theirs, walkers pouring through the doorway. From where he was standing, Daryl could see more walkers moving around from the backyards of the houses and he felt his blood pumping.

"Get in the cars!" he yelled to them, trying to find everyone.

Maggie, T, Hershel, and Glenn were together, while Lori and Carol had just emerged from the house, having heard the scream. Carl and Beth followed behind them and when they saw what was happening, Carl raised his gun and ran down the steps to join them. Everyone was in a panic as they rushed to get inside the vehicles. Daryl made his way to the porch where he grabbed Lori's arm and pulled her forward as quickly as he could.

"Get in the car," he told her, pushing her in the direction, "Get it started. We need to leave now."

Lori nodded as Carol followed after her. Daryl let go of her arm and turned back around, lifting his bow to eye level as he pulled the trigger and sent a bolt directly into the eye socket of a walker that nearly had Maggie. She looked at and didn't have to say anything for him to know the look in her eyes. He only nodded and continued moving.

The walkers seemed to multiply as he tried to get closer to the small group that was now almost surrounded. Daryl pushed forward, instinct taking over as walkers came at him. He pulled his hunting knife from its sheath and moved quickly, swinging his blade at anything that came at him. The gunfire overwhelmed his thoughts and before he could slow down, a blood curdling scream sounded throughout the community.

Everything seemed to stop as they realized who the scream had come from. So innocent, quiet. Daryl heard Maggie scream out and he turned back around, his jaw dropping when he saw Carl on top of a walker, Beth on the ground beside them. Blood was pooling in the snow around her.

Daryl was shaking his head as he sprinted towards them, his only concern was getting out of that community. He scooped Beth into his arms, wincing when he saw a chunk of flesh had been taken from the front of her neck. She was choking on the blood.

"Carl," Daryl called weakly, "Car. Now."

Carl didn't question him as he turned and got into the car Lori and Carol were already in. Daryl ran as fast as he could with the frail body, swinging open the truck door as he climbed inside. He started to close it but was pushed away by Maggie, who climbed in over him and pulled Beth into her arms. She was sobbing as he started the truck, flipping it into reverse before swinging it around. The other car pulled past the gates and Daryl followed after them.

They were just minutes from the houses when he heard Beth stop struggling and he turned to her. Maggie was looking up at him, her eyes wide with tears, her lips trembling.

"She's not..she's..." she stuttered, smoothing Beth's bloodied hair out of her face.

After looking in the rear view mirror and deciding it was safe for the time being, Daryl pulled the truck over to the side of the road. He kept the truck running as he opened his door and grabbed Beth from Maggie's grasp. She began crying again as she stumbled out of the truck after him.

"Daryl..." Maggie cried as he laid Beth's body down in the snow.

He didn't know what to tell her. He felt bad pulling his gun out and he couldn't even look at her face, he just knew he had to get it done before Hershel had a chance to see what his youngest daughter would become. He lifted the gun and placed his finger on the trigger but before he could fire, Maggie took it from him.

Daryl turned away from her, the shot going off just as the car ahead stopped and Hershel practically fell out of the backseat. He ran forward, falling to his knees beside Beth. The old man didn't cry as he held onto her body and Daryl felt himself start to get sick. He wanted to get away but Maggie was suddenly grasping him, sobbing into his chest. He saw Glenn look at him and instantly he felt uncomfortable. Glenn's look wasn't hostile at all, in fact, he seemed to be condoning it as they stood around.

He did the best he could, comforting her. He held onto her loosely, gently patting her back as he realized the community was the third place they had been to since Atlanta. All three of them in the middle of nowhere and all three of them had been overrun by the dead.

He also realized that while Rick was gone, he was in charge. He had to keep the rest of them alive and even though they were separated, he had to keep himself alive. Maggie's sobs continued for sometime but he didn't have the strength to tell them they had to keep going.

So they stood there in the cold, waiting.

* * *

**Next up, we'll deal with Heather and Rick at the farm. Plus...**

**A NEW CHARACTER**

**Stay tuned!**


	53. Chapter 53

The drive back to the farm was slow and quiet. Rick didn't say much, leaving it up to Heather to fill in the void. After awhile, she gave up trying to converse with him and turned to look out the window. The snow was untouched in most places but as they got closer to the farm, she could see tire marks and footprints that were mottled in blood.

The weather seemed to make everything much more dreary as she leaned her head against the window and let out a heavy sigh. Rick turned the heat on in the car, holding his hand against the vent as hot air seeped through.

The land around farm was gruesome when they pulled up, bodies still littered across the snow covered grass. The barn lay in a burned heap, the RV's twisted body still visible amidst the scorch marks.

Heather got out of the car, holding onto the machete Daryl made sure she had before they left. She kicked away at the snow, stepping over empty shot gun shells and immobile limbs. She glanced at Rick, who was looking back at her, then nodded before making her way to the barn.

"Where are you going?" he asked her, trying to keep his voice low.

She turned back to him and shrugged, "Just wanted to stop and see my brother's grave."

Rick didn't question her and as he began to follow her, she wondered why she even felt the need. She hadn't thought about her brother since she'd buried him and she figured it was because she didn't want to. When she got to the grave, she still felt indifferent and tried to find the sadness in her brother's death.

There was none.

"I ever tell you why I was down here when...it started?" Heather asked quietly, turning to look at Rick.

He shook his head, taking his place beside her, "Not that I can remember."

She nodded, turning back to the mound that covered her brother's body.

"When our parents died, we both handled the pain in different ways. I turned to books and my school work while James focused more on being destructive," Heather paused for a minute, breathing in deeply, "James was in prison down here. He got caught stealing cars and setting things on fire. Our grandparents had already passed so when he was released from prison, his therapist thought it was best for him to be signed over to a relative and since no one else in our family was alive, I had to do it.

"I was a few miles from the prison when I got in a wreck. Some...guy was stumbling across the street and I didn't think anything of it until he turned back around and threw himself in front of my car. I tried hitting the brakes but his impact made me swerve and I drove into a tree."

She paused and Rick looked down at her, still deep in thought as she bit down on her lip.

"I ended up in the hospital, obviously," she motioned to her leg and shook her head, "Had a surgery and while I was recovering, James showed up. Apparently the prisons were being emptied because of this...epidemic. He didn't have to be released to family by that point and once he found out where I was, he made it his duty to rescue me. I didn't know that being at the hospital was not the safest place to be so I didn't want to leave even though I could tell that he was legitimately scared. We argued for a few minutes about me leaving, since I hadn't even recovered at all and hadn't even started my physical therapy but I eventually gave in and he stole me away in the most uncomfortable wheelchair.

"That's when everything really started happening. Once we were outside the hospital, people were in a panic. I was still loaded up on painkillers so I can't remember much because it's real blurry but I do remember there always seemed to be a lot of blood. On the street, car windows...just blood."

Heather stopped, breathing in again as she looked up at Rick. He was staring at the snow still, digesting the story as she let it unfold.

"We stayed with a small group for a few days, a mom and her two kids. Little kids...couldn't have been more than five. She was friendly but her husband was a monster. Him and James got into it nearly every minute of the day. One night when we were asleep, they ended up leaving, taking most of our supplies, including that stupid wheelchair. Not long after that, I met you...and here we are."

"I know there's a reason you're telling me this," Rick nodded, looking back down at her, "I just can't figure out what it is."

Heather smiled lightly at him, "I was thinking, if you want to find somewhere safe, somewhere we can live without constantly feeling threatened, why not a prison?"

Rick seemed to take this into consideration as he nodded his head.

"That's actually not a bad idea. The problem though, is that I have no idea where one is." he told her.

"What about Hershel? He's from around here, maybe he'll know where one is."

"I'll ask him when we get back." he agreed, "Let's go get some stuff from the house. I don't want to be out here for too long."

Heather nodded and turned around, following him to the steps of the house. The land looked desolate and it made her shiver as she followed behind him. The first thing she noticed when she stepped inside was a trail of blood that went from the doorway all the way to the kitchen. The body of a female walker was lying on the ceramic tiles and Rick held his arm out, keeping her behind him.

"Stay quiet." he whispered to her, raising his gun at eye level as he crouched.

She matched his stance as they made their way around the house slowly, checking the corners of the rooms for any other walkers that might be around. They found none and after going back down to the kitchen, Heather could see that blood was still partially fresh.

She wanted to comment to Rick about him being too paranoid but before she could, the pantry door swung open and she was met with the butt of a gun. She stumbled backwards, her vision clouded by red as the machete slipped from her grasp. There was muffled yelling around her as she fell to the ground.

Heather wasn't sure how long she had been out when she felt herself coming around. All she knew was her head was pounding and she wasn't on the ground anymore. She breathed in and flexed her hand, running it along the fabric of the couch she had slept on many times before. She opened her eyes and saw Rick just a few inches away from her, a bag at his feet.

"What happened?" she asked him, looking around and not seeing anyone else. Surely she hadn't made everything up.

"Apparently there was someone living here." he replied, handing her a paper towel, "You're still bleeding."

She winced as he leaned forward and lifted her hand to her brow line, pressing the paper towel against it. When she pulled it away, it was covered in a dark, red blood.

"Where?" she questioned, suddenly feeling dizzy.

Rick sighed and motioned with his head. Behind him, a man stood from where he was sitting on the chair. He was tall, even taller than Rick with a head of wavy, dark brown hair and prominent cheek bones. His eyes were as dark as his hair but despite the hard look he tried to wear, Heather could see that he was more than likely timid.

"Rob," he introduced himself, "Sorry 'bout that."

Heather sat up slowly, holding onto Rick's outstretched arm to balance herself. When she was steady, she let her hand fall into her lap.

"Your dad said you guys used to live here?" Rob questioned, sitting himself down on the floor across from Rick.

She noticed Rick didn't say anything to correct the man and he even looked calm. She figured they must have talked while she was out.

"Who was that in the kitchen?" she asked before she could think about the question.

Rob frowned and looked to his hands, "My baby sister. We got run out of our house a few miles from here a couple weeks ago. We were staying here and while I was out hunting, she got attacked by one of the ground crawlers. I had to put her down a couple nights ago."

"Why haven't you buried her?"

"Heather," Rick sighed, shaking his head, "Mind your questions."

"Have you ever tried digging a grave when the ground is frozen?" Rob he was smiling but Heather noticed it was a sad smile, full of regret. She shook her head and he only nodded.

"He'll be coming back with us." Rick told her when Rob didn't say anything else.

Heather tensed up and shook her head, "You really think that's a good idea?" She turned to Rob and shrugged her shoulders, "No offense, but we don't even know you."

"None taken. Knocking you unconscious wasn't a good first impression but I assure you, I mean no harm." Rob explained to her, his smile more than comforting.

She turned back to Rick, who pressed his lips together in a tight smile and shrugged beside her. Clearly he had already made up his mind and whether it made her comfortable or not, she had to go along with it.

"Well, when do we leave then?" she questioned, "My head is killing me."

"I'm just gonna grab a few more things and we can head out." Rick told her, rising to his feet, "Rob already helped me get what was left of Hershel's medical supplies and the clothes that were around. Did Daryl leave anything behind?"

Heather looked past the new guy, to the chair her guy had slept on and saw a back pack by it. Rick left the room then, leaving it to her to get what she thought they would need. She got off the couch and made her way to the chair, picking the bag off the ground. There were shirts inside, all of them sleeveless, and she knew it was definitely Daryl's.

Her head felt heavy and as she shoved a pair of pants into the bag, she realized her hands were still covered in blood. She was positive she had a concussion, which was the least that could have happened to her, yet she found it harder to concentrate and keep her eyes open.

She breathed in deeply, letting it out in a sigh before standing completely. Rick walked back into the room, carrying a few pillows under his arm.

"Ready?" he asked, looking at her.

She nodded and slung Daryl's bag over her shoulder. Rob was next to her then, holding his arm out to hand her the machete she had dropped. He smiled sheepishly as she took it from him and nodded.

The drive back to the houses wasn't as silent as it had been on the previous ride. Rob did enough talking for all of them and Heather was partly surprised when Rick joined in. After awhile, it was obvious to her that Rob posed no threat to them at all. He was timid, as she had suspected, only talking because the silence bothered him. _A lot like Glenn, _she thought to herself. He admitted he was a horrible shot and that was the reason he was hiding in the pantry. He also seemed to have a never ending supply of optimism and she figured that was the main reason Rick had agreed to let him go with them.

The silence regained it's footing as Rick pulled up to the community and saw that the gates were still wide open. His eyebrows narrowed when he realized the cars were no longer there and it was quiet. Too quiet.

He stopped the car and pulled his gun into his lap, swallowing before he turned to Heather.

"Stay here." he said, opening the door and getting out.

Heather waited a moment, her heart speeding up just enough for her to realize she was nervous, then she got out of the car as well, despite Rob's quiet protests from the backseat. She kept the door open as she crept after Rick, who only frowned when he noticed she was behind him. He stopped by the steps of her house, waiting for her to catch up before they went up the stairs together.

He reached out and twisted the doorknob, then pushed the door open, both of them standing in the doorway. They paused, peering into the house.

"Daryl!"

"Lori!"

They called out at the same time, turning to look at each other. When there was no response from either parties, Rick stepped back and turned around.

"Where are they?" Heather asked, turning around.

He shook his head, squinting, "Something must have happened while we were gone."

Heather parted her lips to say something, but the words were lost to her when she saw the bloodied snow by the other house. She stepped off the porch, hearing Rick follow after her. She kneeled by it the best she could, her hands shaking as she reached out to it.

"It's fresh." she said, "It came from a living person."

"Get back in the car." he ordered her, suddenly, fearfully.

Heather stood up and looked at him, scared. He grabbed onto her arm and pulled her with him, waiting until she was in the car before he closed the door. He pulled out of the community, searching the road in front of them.

"Follow the tracks." Rob said from the backseat, leaning between Heather and Rick as he pointed.

There was urgency in the way Rick drove, trying to stay calm while having an internal panic attack at not knowing whose blood had been spilled. They didn't drive too far when they began to see walkers littered across the road. Heather was looking along the road, hoping to see anything that might give them a clue as to where the rest of the group was.

"Wait." she said, pointing to a walker corpse. Rick slowed the car and leaned over, looking out the window. Embedded in the skull was a bolt, feathered in green. Daryl's.

They found the group a few more miles down the road, huddled together in the car. Daryl got out of the truck to meet them, a solemn look on his face. Heather stepped out and saw there was blood covering his forearms and splattered on his shirt. The group stayed in the car but Lori turned and smiled sadly at Heather.

Daryl shot a questioning look at Heather, grimacing as she figured he wondered about her own injury, but he didn't say anything. Rick was the one who moved forward, shaking his head in confusion.

"Beth." was all Daryl said and Heather immediately covered her mouth, tears forming in her eyes.

They spilled over as Daryl explained what had happened, from what he knew. He was upset about it, she could tell from how his words bit as he spoke.

Rick hesitated, nodding his head, before running a hand through his hair. Heather took the moment to walk past him, to Daryl's side, who instantly looked down to her. The older man walked away, heading to the other car and it was then that Daryl could speak.

"What the hell happened?" he questioned, turning his body towards her.

He reached into his back pocket and pulled out his red handkerchief, holding onto her shoulder as he pressed it against her forehead.

"I got hit with a gun." she told him, closing her eye as blood leaked over her eyebrow.

"By who?"

"Rob," she answered, feeling dizzy again, "Him and his sister were staying in the house. She died but he's still alive. He's nice, reminds me of Glenn." She realized she was rambling and shook her head.

Daryl was looking at her strangely, his lips parted. She saw the hint of jealously that crept into his eyes as she heard the car door close and she knew Rob was now visible to him. His grip on her shoulder tightened as he scowled. Heather sighed, closing her eyes.

"Don't." Daryl growled at her, moving his hand to her chin as he jerked her head up, "Don't close ya eyes."

"Hey, man," Rob said from behind her, "Don't be so rough with her. She has a concussion."

He hadn't meant to impose, Heather could sense that, but Daryl tensed up anyway. Rage flashed across his face as he looked up at the other man.

"Yeah, no thanks to ya." he sneered, though he loosened his grip on her, "What kind a man hits a girl anyway?"

"Daryl..." she said softly, touching his arm.

"I already apologized to her for that. It doesn't concern you."

Daryl's anger peaked and Heather grabbed his wrist tightly in her hand, trying to hold him in place as he attempted to step around her. She didn't think she had ever seen him so angry and it wasn't just in the way he looked, she could _feel _the anger in him.

"It'd be best for ya to keep ya mouth shut. Just because she accepts ya apology don't mean it's alright by me." Daryl's voice was low and she shuddered at how menacing he could sound when he controlled his anger.

He was about to continued when Rick intervened, not realizing that was a conflict to begin with.

"Daryl, Hershel said you kept Beth in the back of the truck?" Daryl nodded silently, "We'll get her buried as soon as the sun comes up in the morning. Rob, here, will help us out."

Daryl glared at the other man. Rick mumbled a few other words that sounded like sleep, and eat, before walking away with Rob. Heather could still see how angry he was as Daryl led her to the passenger side of the truck. He helped her inside, then climbed in on his own side. He folded his arms across his chest, not offering his arm like he normally did when they stayed out in the truck.

He stared ahead, at the empty road, his foot bouncing unsteadily against the floor. Heather let the handkerchief fall to her lap as she felt her eyelids begin to grow heavy again. Daryl noticed and he sighed.

"C'mere." he said quietly, reaching up to turn on the lights.

Heather scooted closer to him, wincing at the pain she felt throughout her body. He reached up and held her chin, gently this time, tilting her head up. He lifted his other hand and lifted her eyelid, using the light to check her pupils.

"Eh, it ain't too bad." he commented, letting go of her.

"How do you know?" she asked, leaning back against the seat.

"Pupils ain't too dilated. They kinda move when they light does." he told her, shaking his head, "Thought you read those medical books I got ya."

She smirked, "Not as thoroughly as you did, apparently."

He didn't say anything and she was thankful for the silence. Her ears had stopped ringing but the headache was still there and her vision was blurred from exhaustion.

"Can I go to sleep though?" she groaned, covering her forehead with her hand.

"Don't see why not." he stated and she could feel him shrug his shoulders.

"Are you still mad?"

He was silent again and she figured she had asked the wrong question.

"I'm sorry," she said, "I'm just cold and when you get mad, you don't want anyone to touch you."

The car stopped moving as Daryl stilled his leg and let out another, long, heavy sigh.

"I ain't mad at ya." he told her, unfolding his arms.

He held his arm open and she scooted beneath it, huddling against his body for the warmth that he always seemed to provide. She hadn't guessed it would be hectic day but after she closed her eyes, the weight of it fell on her and she struggled to steady her breathing.

She thought of her brother's grave and how she couldn't muster any tears for a man that was once her best friend. Time had changed her from being too sensitive to too calloused and she wondered if that was what he had wanted the whole time. She didn't need protection from anyone, not anymore, but she knew that without it, one mistake could cost her her life. Beth hadn't turned fast enough and because of that, her life had ended. Heather was sad about the loss but still, she couldn't find any more tears to spare.

She leaned into Daryl, pressing herself as close to him as she could get, until it felt like her body was melting into his. He slid his arm around her, his hand resting on her hip. Without him, she would be gone, no longer existing to the world. More times than she cared to count, he had pulled her from death's grip and given her new reason to keep surviving.

His jealousy had given insight to the battles that still raged within him and though she was terrified of the outcome, she had to give him some peace.

She lifted her head up and watched as he turned to her. His eyes looked tired and worn, his facial hair rough against her palm as she touched him gently. He squinted, a trained tactic that made him look threatening to other people, but to her, it was comforting.

When she laid her head back down, he leaned his against it lightly, his hair brushing along her forehead. She wrapped her arm around his abdomen, gripping his coat between her fingers.

"I love you." she said quietly, clamping her eyes shut.

His body tensed just as she thought it would, yet he made no attempt to move. Instead, he brushed his thumb against her side, the motion hardly noticeable through the layers of clothing she wore. He turned his head to the side, his lips faint as they pressed to the top of her head.

"Love ya too." he practically whispered, his voice so quiet she barely heard the words.

He didn't try running away, which was a good sign, she thought as she felt herself drifting off to sleep.

* * *

**Oh boy! And there we have it! They finally said it to each other! But will everything work out for the best?**

**Of course not! Why would any good person get what they want? I'm swear I'm not evil.**

**Now we have a new character! I'm still working on perfecting him, so it'll be a few chapters before I figure out exactly what kind of person he's going to be.**

**Next chapter will include Beth's burial, along with more jealous Daryl and more Rob development.**

**The finding of the prison is going to be happening very, very soon and then we'll be splitting the plot between the comics and the tv show. If you have anything you want me to include from either of them, please let me know!**

**Thank you!**


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